Logan's Run: Regeneration
by J.M. Bowers
Summary: Jump City is in chaos. Slade has turned the city's greatest heroes against it. With his new-found power, no one can stop the mercenary now...except for him. Logan's back, and this time he might truly be unstoppable...Sequel to the Logan's Run saga!
1. Prologue

Well, to be honest, I was planning on leaving the Logan's Run story at the end of HIGH VOLTAGE, but due to popular demand (and my own twisted sense of humor) I decided to 'resurrect' the unstoppable Garfield Logan for one more CRANK-tified romp through the city. Keep in mind that this is a completely different song and dance this time. Let's see if this one will answer all the questions. Once again, all criticism welcome in my house!

* * *

"He's dead."

The words hung in the air just the same as they had done three months prior, the day Garfield Logan died – before, you know, he came back from the dead to settle the score with those who had stolen his heart. All the abuse he had withstood, all the damage he had taken had proven to be his undoing in the end. He had died before his friends on a cold operating table, his fight seemingly giving out just when he needed it most. But he had done the impossible: he had beaten the odds one more time and brought his friends back together to save their city from villainy. They would take up the mantle from here. In his honor, they would finish the job.

The extended Titan family sat silently in the nerve center of the tower. Only the dying sobs of Raven punctuated the still of the air. She had been the one to utter those cryptic words three months before, but this time the duty went to Aqualad – someone who had literally received a call from a dead man looking for help. Sadly, his help hadn't been enough to keep Logan from getting dead again.

Robin leaned against the wall near the window, looking at the other grief-stricken Titans. This was the second time they had lost a man – the same man, to be exact. His own eyes, however, were tearing up as well. Deep in his heart, he knew the truth. He had failed. Destroy the H.I.V.E. and save Garfield Logan – that was the goal. Neither one had come to fruition. Logan was dead, and the H.I.V.E. still stood. Sure, they could take it down at a time of their choosing now that it was leaderless, but it still didn't make the pain of his ultimate failure any less. If anything, it made it worse. Logan had saved his life before, on the rooftop of the Perez. He had sworn to repay that debt, a blood oath to be settled. That would never happen. That window had closed forever.

Aqualad noticed the pained expression on Robin's face. He understood what was going through his head. He was kicking himself as well for not moving fast enough. Maybe if Garfield had listened, if he had waited, if he hadn't been a one-man-army…well, it was over. Not much he could do to remedy the situation now.

It was here, at this very moment in time, that the red warning light in the tower started flashing, its' siren blaring throughout the room. For the first time, however, the heroes were not as quick to jump on it. They simply sat, bathed in the red light, listening to the distress beacon.

Finally, after what seemed like the longest moment of their lives, Robin stood up straight. "Sorry, team," he said, sadly. "Looks like it's back to work."

Lad gazed over at the young hero, a quizzical expression on his face. "Robin, if you guys don't wanna do this, Bee and the rest of us could handle it…" he began.

"No," the Boy Wonder said with a wave of his hand. "This is our city. We'll handle it." At that, he gave a tight smile. "We have to."

Looking over at the Herald, the hero sighed. "Herald, take everyone back home," he ordered. "Once this thing gets settled, we'll go about making preparations to deter the casket and lay Beast Boy to rest."

"We're staying," Bumblebee said, firmly. "Steel City can handle itself for a little while without us."

Robin considered the notion. "Fine," he said, quietly. "Everyone else goes – no exceptions. As for you guys, you are to stay in the tower unless we call for you – and under no circumstances are you to enter the medical ward unless you're dying!"

The last remark came out rather cold and callous, startling all the Titans – including Robin himself. "I'm…I'm sorry," he said, quickly. "It's just…"

"No biggie," Lad said, smiling faintly. "We understand."

The Boy Wonder nodded. "Okay, we all have our orders," he said. "Raven, I need you to-!"

"I'm going," the girl said, flatly.

"You're not in the right state of mind," Robin said, firmly. "You'll be a loose cannon out there, and I don't need…"

"I'll be fine," Raven said, pulling her hood up over her tear-streaked face. "I'd be more concerned about you right now."

Robin opened his mouth, but thought better of it. Raven knew he hurt just as much as she did, as they all did. This mission would be for Beast Boy. On the upside, at least they'd get to crack a few skulls. Good for releasing tension.

"Okay team," he said as the now-six strong team prepared for action. "The city needs us, and we need it. Let's show them what we can do. TITANS, GO!"


	2. Five Down

The ride into Jump City was a silent one. Cyborg sat behind the wheel, his eyes locked firmly on the road. The anxiety weighted heavy on his heart. He had done everything by the book to save Beast Boy's life. Maybe he wasn't such a miracle worker after all…

As the mechanical Titan continued his mental torment, Robin sat near the window. His space was somewhat limited, as Starfire had squeezed in the front in order to give Jericho, Ravager, and Raven the room they needed. Looking in the rearview, the Boy Wonder noticed that the other Titans seemed pretty intent on giving the spellcaster as much space as she needed – they sat practically pressed against the doors, leaving a decent gap on both sides of her. He couldn't blame them, honestly. Raven had lost control of herself when Beast Boy was presumed dead the first time. Now, after being there to witness his death firsthand, none of them had a clue how long it would be until she blew.

"Alright," Cyborg said, breaking the silence. "Here's where the distress signal came from."

The heroes looked as they pulled up to an abandoned warehouse. This building hadn't seen anything productive in quite a long time…at least, not anything legal. This location immediately put the Titans on edge.

"Is it just me, or does that not look inviting whatsoever?" Ravager said as she stepped from the Cy-Car.

"You said it," Robin said, slowly. "Everyone, keep on alert."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Cyborg said as he emerged from the vehicle.

"You would have had to tell Beast Boy three times before he got it."

The statement turned all parties in attendance towards Raven, who had uttered the words. Noticing the eyes on her, she gave a faint smile.

"It's the truth," she said, with a small chuckle. Finding humor in Beast Boy's life was a way to deal with the pain, but Robin caught a glimpse of the single tear rolling down the lower half of her face as it emerged from the shadows. Quickly, the girl hid the rest of her face, but he knew. She shouldn't have come. Then again, given the emotional standpoint of the team, none of them should have answered that call. That wasn't a choice they could make. It wasn't the one Beast Boy would have made, and it wasn't one they could live with. Like he had mused to himself the day before, a day that felt like a lifetime ago, life would go on – at least, for the living.

Sighing, the young hero rotated his neck, cracking vertebrae as he did so. Time to go to work.

* * *

The old hinges on the door gave out a massive CREAK as Cyborg pushed it open. The interior of the building was fit only to be condemned at this point and time. Rust and dust lined the floors and the walls as the Titans entered.

"Well, it's just as inviting inside as it was outside," Ravager said. Then she cursed under her breath. Some of the dust had gotten into her eyes. Foregoing her better judgment, she paused to remove her mask and wipe her eyes.

"Rose, you okay?" Robin asked, turning back to look at her.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," she said. "Just keep-!"

That's when she heard the sound. It was soft, hard to catch, but the drug in her system allowed her to realize what was about to happen. With a split second to spare, she jumped back – and watched as an electronic wall encircled the other heroes.

"Shit!" she shouted. "Goddamn setup!"

"Thanks for the clarification," Raven said, shaking her head.

"Rose, see if you can find the power unit and take it out," Robin said. "We're sitting ducks in here!"

"Okay, okay, keep your shirt on," the girl said, looking around. "Or not, if you prefer…" she added with a mischievous grin.

"Watch your tongue," Starfire said, narrowing her eyes. "And find your own hero to faun over."

Robin looked over at the Tamaranean, an eyebrow raised. "Wow, that was…_unexpected_," he said, stunned.

The girl gave a rather sad smile. "Perhaps Beast Boy's attitude brushed off a little more than expected," she said.

"Yeah, well let's keep that attitude alive," Ravager said as she scanned the room. Strange, the wall seemed to emanate from the concrete. No power box, no apparent kinks in the energy. Whoever set this up was a professional. That list had dropped pretty quick with Logan's help. In fact, the only person who really had this type of talent was…

The girl's eyes widened. A cool sensation ran through her being as she realized who was responsible.

"Rose?" Robin asked, his eyes narrowing. He didn't like the look in the girls eyes. It was one of sheer terror. "Rose?! What's wrong?!"

Ravager's hands shook like leaves as she let out a shudder. "It's…it's him…" she shuttered. "God help me…"

"Rose, I don't understand…" The Boy Wonder trailed off as he noticed a strange smell in the air. 'Damn! Rose, you gotta get us out of here!"

To Robin's surprise, the Titan stood frozen in fear. Whatever was in the air, it was beginning to take effect. Shaking his head, the hero tried to fend off the drowsiness that was ebbing into his being. "Rose!"

To the Titans' horror, Ravager began stepping back towards the door. "No…no I can't," she said, her voice cracking. Tears fell from her eyes as she shook her head. "Robin…forgive me…"

"ROSE!" Robin shouted as the girl bolted out the door, leaving the heroes trapped inside the energy shield. As he watched the other slowly succumb to the poison, Robin's mind sought an answer for Rose's response. What could have frightened her so badly that she would run scared like that?

As the hero slowly slid to the floor, he was unaware that the answer would come to him soon enough. Until then, the darkness would win over the Titans.

* * *

As the heroes dropped into unconsciousness, a figure stepped from the shadows of the building.

"Shame," he muttered to himself. "And here I was hoping to catch all of them in one fell swoop. Well, the best laid plans…"

Reaching into his pocket, the figure procured a small remote. Pressing the button, the energy shield fell. The gas would dissipate soon enough. The respirator was working fine. Bit uncomfortable, but nothing he couldn't handle. Besides, he had gotten his wish: A chance to change Jump City forever. These heroes, these children in front of him would be the key.

"Time to plow the road," he muttered.


	3. Five To Go

"Man, this place is posh," Speedy said, glancing around Titan Tower's living room.

"Why do you have to say that every time we come here?" Bumblebee said, irritated.

"Because I can't understand how they have such a nice place," the hero said. "I mean, Cyborg helped us build Steel Tower, but it didn't come out as nice as this. Heck, nobody's got anything as nice as this in the Titan Team!"

"That's because none of us have a rich mentor to cut us a big fat allowance," Aqualad said, slouched on the sofa. "Must be fuckin' nice."

"Lad, watch your mouth!" Bee said, looking over at the hero.

"Why should I?" he said, glaring back at her. "Maybe if I curse up a storm and go out and kick some ass I can be the next best hero of this fuckin' city!"

"Lad, you had better listen up, boy…" Bee began.

"FUCK OFF!" Lad said, springing up from the couch. "You keep running your mouth, I hit you so goddamn hard you'll think you kissed a freight train!"

"WHOA!" Speedy said, stepping in between the two. "What the hell is going on?!"

"Get out of my way, Speed!" Lad said, furiously. "I'm gonna rip that bitch a new one!"

"I'd like you see you try, little white boy!" Bee shot back.

"Guys, ENOUGH!" Speedy shouted, glaring at both of the heroes. "I know I'm not big on profanity and stuff, but what the fuck is wrong with the both of you?!"

As Aqualad and Bumblebee stared at one another, they both realized that they didn't have an answer. Everything that had occurred was all due to anxiety and the stress of losing Beast Boy after they had come so far. Hell, Lad had been the one to help him on both occasions. In a way, it made him feel a little more…_important. _Now, he was just the pretty boy on the B team again. Hard fall to take.

"Bee…shit…" the hero muttered. "Sorry. I'm just…not myself."

Bee sighed. "Guess we all can understand that," she said. "Let's just…cool it and wait for the others to get back."

"Sounds like a plan," Lad said, sitting back on the couch. "Though I gotta say…is anyone else getting hungry?"

The Teen Titans East looked at one another. "Pizza?" they said in unison. "Pizza."

* * *

Robin's eyes fluttered open. His head was killing him. Whatever had been in that gas packed a massive punch. Grunting as everything came into focus, he was met with an unpleasant sight.

The Boy Wonder found himself strapped into a steel chair. Testing his bonds, he found himself unable to budge anything.

""Not good," he muttered to himself.

"No shit."

Darting his eyes to the right, Robin saw Raven strapped in next to him. Beside her was Jericho. Looking towards his left, he saw Starfire and Cyborg in the same situation.

"Well, the gang's all here," he said sarcastically.

"Yeah, except for the bitch who ran," Raven said, angrily.

"I'd be careful whom you call a bitch," a voice emanated from the darkness in front of them. To the Titans' horror, the mask emerged from the shadows, the eye capable of starting a hole right through one's soul. "That 'bitch' happens to be my daughter."

"Slade," Robin said, narrowing his eyes.

"Nice to see you too, Robin," the mercenary said, his voice cold and unfeeling. "Sorry about Rose. She always had trouble facing her fears."

"So you were in the building," Robin stated.  
"Indeed I was," Slade said, cocking his head to the side. "You kids are getting too predictable. Then again, you haven't been paying attention. Could it be the loss of the supposedly indestructible Mr. Logan that has muddied the waters?"

"Fuck you," Raven shot back, her face a mask of anger.

"Now, now, no need to curse," Slade said. "To be honest, I was surprised that your precious Beast Boy could cause so much damage. H.I.V.E.'s gone through two headmasters since the late Mento decided he wanted you teens out of the way."

"Look how well that worked out for him," Robin said, firmly.

"Yes indeed," the merc said, crossing his arms over his chest. "See, the problem with Mento was that he was…too quick. He threw together some convoluted plan to kill you all. In the process, he set up his own downfall by betraying his former protégé. Personally, I could care less about a amateur trying to do a professional's job, but the show was amazing. Mr. Logan had a tenacity for mayhem and death. Granted, he's got a streak of morality, but I was impressed with his abilities."

Shaking his head, he chuckled under the mask. "Damn shame he's gone," he said. "I'd love to have faced him. Don't get me wrong, Robin – you're a hell of an opponent, but to take on someone with skills like mine…well, that comes along once a lifetime."

"Sorry to disappoint you," Robin said, coldly. "Bet I know who'd win."

Slade chuckled again. "I'm certain, but I guess it doesn't matter," he said. "Now, time to get down to business."

Robin shifted uncomfortably in the chair. When Slade Wilson straps people into chairs, it's not for a movie marathon. "What the hell are you planning, Slade?"

The merc knelt down before the young hero. "Since you're not going to be able to change what's about to happen, I might as well…_enlighten_ you," he said. "The truth is the H.I.V.E. is not dead. In fact, it may be even stronger than it's ever been. It's new headmaster…well, he doesn't have a head, but I'm certain he'll be able to handle the situation."

Robin took but a second to contemplate Slade's words. The only villain capable of controlling the H.I.V.E. without a head, or physical body…

"The Brain," he said, quietly. "Got to hand it to you – he's definitely capable of taking care of business."

"Indeed he is," Slade said. "He also performed a special request for me as well."

"And what might that be?" the hero asked.

Slade sighed. "He gave me the methods Brother Blood used to control his followers," he said. "Now, I'm about to put it to the test."

Raven scoffed. "What, are you gonna dangle a watch in front of our eyes and tell us to buck like chickens?" she asked.

"No, but cute of you to assume so," the mercenary said, standing back up. "The devices you are in will emit a high-intensity frequency that will place you deep under my control. The upside: this method should bypass the mental shielding you kids have around your brains…at least, that's what we're going to find out. Downside…well, you won't remember anything about your lives, so I guess you can say I'm doing you all a favor. None of you will be mourning Garfield Logan for much longer."

The Titans glanced nervously at one another as the mercenary set a pair of noise-cancelling headphones on his head.

"Enjoy the song," he muttered. "It's made just for you…"

* * *

Raven grunted as the machine came to life. Despite the supposed silence, she could hear some kind of tone scraping around the inside of her skull. Looking around, she could see the other Titans fighting against their bonds. Terror gripped her heart as she realized this method was working…working better than Slade probably could have imagined.

Gritting her teeth, the girl's mind was awash in strange sensations. She found herself incapable of remembering the simplest memories. Things that had been part of her life seemed to be disappearing into the shadows, leaving a void that couldn't be defined. AS much as she fought, the darkness continued to creep its' way across her mind. Everything was slowly fading away: her life, her father, the friendship with her fellow Titans, that fateful kiss…

As the last of her will failed, Raven's head dropped to her chest. Her final thought, the last to leave her, was a simple prayer. A prayer…that the one she loved would finally come to peace.

* * *

Slade removed the headphones from his ears. The machines had done their job. Snapping his fingers, he delighted in seeing the five heads raise in unison, their eyes a deep crimson. The Teen Titans, the greatest heroes Jump City had ever seen, now belonged to him. It was time.

"My children," he said, quietly. "It is time to take this city in the name of Slade. We will take it by force, and we will take it all. Come…and, just to be certain, I would like all of you to call me 'Master'."

The shackles sprung open. Like a well-trained herd, the Titans got to their feet. As they opened their mouths, the mercenary heard the words he had longed to hear for so long:

"YES, MASTER."

The time was now. Jump City would die…today.


	4. Too Tough To Die

"…you're fucked…"

"…FUCK YOU, LOGAN!"

"… a trained killer, huh…"

"…still hate me?"

"I'll get over it…"

"See you in Hell, Logan!"

"…he's gone…"

"No! NO!"

"…HE'S GONE…"

* * *

_The hell I am…_

* * *

_My eyes open. Déjà vu. Another hospital bed. Another machine. Another wonderful stay thanks to my HMO. This time, however, I'm feeling a bit different. I'm feeling a little like death warmed over a sewer grate. Body's got no get up and go. Hmm…could be dead this time. Nope. I feel pain. Fuck. Once again, some wishful thinking. _

_Sitting up, I hear something crack. Not a big CRACK like you hear when you get run the fuck over by a freight train – just a little crack, like the snapping of a twig. Shit, that's my fuckin' hand! Busted that up real good when I was pounding away on Mento. You know, right before I fried that motherfucker like a chicken. Speaking of chicken…_

_Slowly I get to my feet. Now, most people who survive two bouts of crazy shit usually are looking to the skies, praying to the unseen eye, or rubbing Buddha's belly for a second chance. I got that chance and I didn't pray to nobody. Didn't light a candle, didn't read the tarot cards, didn't go visit some ugly-ass old lady who reads my fortunes by tugging on a goat's nutsack – just being Garfield Logan was enough, I guess. It was just then, as I was busy stroking my ego that I noticed it. I take a step closer, wondering if it's the light or my mind that's fucking with me. Shit…is…is that me? That __**is**__ me. Fuck…FUCK!_

_You know, right now, somewhere in this crazy world we live in, there's some dude contemplating the big question of the universe: Why are we here? Needless to say, that question's not on my mind. Not that philosophical, to be honest. On __**my**__ mind right now is probably the second biggest question in the universe: Original, or Extra Crispy? Looks like I got the latter without any input from me. Fuck, I don't even like chicken…_

_As I take a long look at myself in the mirror, I can feel the pain starting to build. Understandable. Third-degree burns to 85% of the body might be a tad uncomfortable. Why I'm not on the floor writhing in pain I'll never know – or want to know._

_Looking around, I finally realize I'm in the medical ward of Titan Tower. Lucky fucks. Got me back here in one piece – well, if you don't count the flaking skin. It's then that I first hear it:_

_THUMP-THUMP…_

_THUMP-THUMP…_

_THUMP-THUMP…_

_Cy did it. He fucking did it! He put my heart back in! Can't believe I'm still here after all that shit. Bet they won't believe it, either…_

_Fuck! Pain's getting worse. Need some of that good ol' XYT to bring the endorphins out to play. Burn's bad, but Rae can fix that. Looking around, I start to get antsy. This is a medical wing, right? So, where's the fuckin' drugs? I need the good shit. I'm not down in some shithole in Mexico popping Flintstone vitamins and thinking happy fuckin' thoughts – I'm in a technologically advanced state-of-the-art medical facility! So I need me some state-of-the-goddamn-art painkillers!_

_Pulling open the cabinets, I ransack the area looking for something to dull the pain. I'm just about done when I notice a syringe sitting over by a computer console. Strange place for shit like that, but I don't have time to argue semantics. Grabbing the needle, I plunge it deep into my arm and depress it. Hmm, not bad. Kinda tingles…_

_Shit…_

_I hit my knees as the concoction works through my body. Hmm, you would have thought I would have learned by now not to trust syringes of any kind. Syringes and me, we got a bad history. Guess I'm not that smart. Looks like I'm paying for it now._

_My head hits the floor. My mind is somehow managed to become more fucked up than it's ever been before. Darkness closing in…Damn, I just wanna see my baby Rae…_

_Fade to black…_


	5. Once Again, From The Top

_My eyes open. Déjà vu. Another hospital bed. Another machine. Another…_

_Fuck, I hate when I repeat myself. Furthermore, I'm on the fucking floor! Bed's not even part of the equation, jackass. Guess my brain's ain't quite what it used to be. That's one organ that doesn't enjoy electric shocks. Then again, neither did my nuts. Still gonna make someone pay for that shit. Still got scores to settle. _

_I slowly get up from the floor. Not sure how long I was out, but I'm guessing it was at least a few. Nice pile of drool right where I was lying. I make a mental note not to slip in it on the way out. As I flex my hands, I notice something. No more cracks. Hand's feeling better. Hell, maybe it wasn't as bad as I though it was…_

_I stop as I take a look at myself in the mirror. Gone was the crispy critter I saw on my first visit back to the world of the living. I slap my cheeks, and run a hand through my hair. Shit, I'm back. Look good as new. Did I dream that shit before? Didn't think so. Then again, what the hell was in that syringe that knocked me on my ass? Once again, I got a head full of questions and no answers. Easy to remedy. _

_Stepping over my pool of drool, I head for the door. Hmm… wonder what happened while I was out…_

* * *

_WHILE LOGAN WAS OUT…_

Aqualad leaned back in his chair as he picked up another slice of pizza. Despite the light show that had went on earlier down at the H.I.V.E. and the crazy shit that had preceded it, the people of Jump City were getting back into the groove of things. So many things had happened in this city over the years that they were getting used to crazy things happening out of the blue.

"Man, maybe the news has some merit in the whole 'nation of desensitization' thing," Bumblebee said, looking around. "Everything that's happened today and people seem pretty oblivious."

"Yeah, that's the great American mentality at work," Aqualad said, shaking his head. "The less you know, the better."

"Kinda sad, really," Speedy said, sprinkling some red pepper on his slice. "What in the world would they do if something really crazy happened?"

"Probably run around in circles like a Chinese fire drill," Aqualad said, smirking.

The team had a laugh at that remark. To be honest, freaking out like that would have been Something Beast Boy would have not. Not Garfield Logan, the nigh-unstoppable hero, but the alter-ego he portrayed for so long. God, if only he were here…

Suddenly, a strange sound blared out from the radio speakers in the pizza parlor's outside seating area. The mixture of static and tone caught everyone, including the heroes by surprise.

"What the heck is that?" Bee asked, looking around.

"Technical difficulties?" Aqualad offered up as an answer.

The team didn't wait long for a response. Across the street, the large LED screen that welcomed tourists to Jump City was bringing up an image no one was prepared to see…

"Hello, Jump City," Slade's voice blared throughout the collective speakers and television screens of the city. "This is your master speaking."

"What the fuck…?" Aqualad muttered.

"I'm sure all of you are wondering what has been happening in the last few hours," the merc continued. "Rest assured that everything that has occurred will ultimately be beneficial. Your city is about to fall…and it will fall by the hands who have protected it for so long…"

A cry of panic rose up from the streets of Jump City. Slade's threat had chilled them to their very core.

"What's he mean, 'by the hands who have protected it for so long'?" Speedy asked.

Aqualad sat for a moment in thought. Then it hit him like a Mack truck. "No…" he whispered.

Quickly, he pulled his communicator from his belt. Activating it, he felt his heart drop into the pit on his stomach.

"Robin, come in!" he said, a tinge of panic in his voice. Silence. "ROBIN, DO YOU READ?!" Again, silence. "SHIT!"

The other Titans flinched as the aquatic hero slammed the communicator down on the table.

"Lad what is it?" Bee asked.

"Slade's got the Titans," Aqualad reasoned. "Whatever he's planning, he's going to use them to take over the city."

"How?" Speedy asked. "Unless he plans on threatening their lives. Even then, they'd probably take death over attacking Jump City. How would Slade even control them?"

"Mind control, maybe?" Aqualad offered up.

"What, like what Blood did to us?" Bee asked. "I wouldn't think they were susceptible to that kind of manipulation."

Aqualad frowned. "There's a first time for everything," he said.

Looking back up at the screen, the heroes saw Slade's visage glaring down at the streets. It was hard to tell, but he seemed almost delighted to see the panicked faces and horrified cries of the people. "Now that I've let my message sink in," he added, "perhaps it's time I begin my game."

The Teen Titans East looked at one another. Before any could speak, a giant explosion ripped though a building a block away.

"Jeez, what the hell was that?" Speedy said, ducking beneath the table.

"I'd say that was a call to action," Aqualad said, firmly. Then he looked over at Bumblebee. "That is," he added, "if you think it is. You _are_ the leader."

"I'd say you should clam up and move your ass," Bee said, smirking. "We got a city to save."

"10-4," Lad said.

With that, the heroes charged off down the street, prepared for the worst…


	6. Bleed It Out

The Teen Titans East struggled to see through the wall of dust that had moved their way as they sought to find the point of origin of the explosion.

"Damn, whatever did this was big," Aqualad said, coughing as he tried batting away the offending cloud in vain.

"Let's find out how big," Bee said. Within moments, the team had broken on through to the other side of the dust cloud.

"Alright, time to finish-?!" the Titan leader's voice caught in her throat as she took in the sight before her. The other heroes looked on in horror as the pieces all came together.

"You're kidding me…" Speedy said, shaking his head.

Aqualad closed his eyes in disbelief. "Mother of God…" he muttered.

* * *

Robin stood before the team of heroes, his own team surrounding him. It was like a scene from a television show – with a terrifying twist. Each of the Titan's uniforms had been shed. Now, they looked the same – the same as Slade!

"You gotta be shitting me," Aqualad said, breathing heavily. "He did it…he really did it…"

"Bee, what do we do?" Speedy asked. Mas and Menos seemed at a loss for ideas as well as they looked to their leader.

The girl swallowed hard. This was not a battle she wanted to fight. Granted, her team was powerful, but Robin's team had always been the go-to team for the Titan family. In a one-on-one battle, she didn't know who would have the upper hand. Still, she had to make a decision, and she had to do it now…

"TITANS, GO!" she said. "Take them down, but don't hurt them any more than you have to!" Suddenly, she let out a scream as Cyborg's pulse cannon blasted a shot just over her head.

"Yeah, don't hurt 'em," Aqualad said, sarcastically. "Meanwhile, if you haven't noticed they seem pretty intent on killing US!"

"You got a better plan?" Bee asked, angrily.

Lad ducked down, avoiding an energy bolt from Starfire. "Give me five minutes," he said, smirking. "Until then, we'll go with your plan."

"Glad I got your goddamn permission," the girl said, irritated.

Mas and Menos were already on the offensive, using their speed to outfox Robin's staff wielding skills. Speedy, meanwhile, was trading arrows with cannon blasts with Cyborg.

Undeterred, Bee took to the air, setting her sights on Starfire. This would be an old-fashioned dogfight for them. That left Aqualad to deal with both Raven and Jericho.

'Peachy,' he thought as he ducked under a flying mailbox. 'Just fuckin' great. Okay, Lad – let's play it smart. Raven's gonna throw everything at you that's not bolted to the ground…hmm, maybe even the shit bolted to the ground. Jericho's not a threat physically, but his possession skills could get me in hot water. Don't look in his eyes. That oughta cover it…"

Lad's train of thought was broken by a solid punch to the face. As he fell back on the ground, he was shocked to learn that Jericho was a little more physical than he realized. If Lad had known that Jericho himself had been the first Ravager up to the time he had his throat cut…well, he might have been prepared for that.

"Man, that ukulele-playing motherfucker packs a punch," the aquatic hero said, rubbing his jaw. Suddenly, his throat tightened up as Raven wrapped her arms around his neck. Seems whatever control Slade had over the Titans had instilled his murderous nature into all of them. Mas and Menos were already out – Robin had nailed a lucky shot on both of them with his staff. Bee and Star were still struggling to take one another down while Speedy found himself on the offensive from Cyborg and Jericho. If he looks into Jericho's eyes…game over.

Lad gasped as the hands tightened around his neck. He was running out of time. Raven's eyes burned a deep red as she glared down at him. There was no recognition in her face of who he was. Chances were the Titans had been mind-wiped as well. She wasn't going to show mercy to a familiar face if she didn't recognize him. Glancing around in a panic, the young hero realized that the girl was sitting on top of him, her arms stretched out, exposing much of her upper body. Gritting his teeth, his mind was already chastising him for what he was about to do, but he had no choice. Besides, it sure beat being dead as an alternative…

Raven shot up, a curious expression on her face as Aqualad reached up under her arms. The sensation was strange, something she barely had felt when she was a Titan. Gritting her teeth, she couldn't hold it back…

Lad allowed himself a small smile as Raven broke out in a fit of giggles. 'Aw, is someone ticklish?' he thought as he continued to tease the young girl. By now Raven was in full-blown laughter, her eyes squeezed tightly. Finally, she pulled herself back up to defend herself – and gasped as Aqualad managed to flip her over onto her back!

"Sorry Rae," Lad said, driving a solid punch to her face to keep her down. "Gotta admit, though – it was nice to see a smile on your face."

Back on his feet, the hero cringed as he saw Bumblebee slam into the side of a nearby building. Starfire had finally gotten the upper hand.

"Shit!" he cursed as he watched his friend fall unconscious to the ground. "Speedy, we need to finish this and quick! Give me a -!"

A loud concussion blast near the side of Aqualad's face silenced him. As he collapsed to the ground, Speedy lowered his bow. His eyes were a deep crimson – just like the other heroes. Looking at their handiwork, Robin turned towards the Titan.

"Good work, Jericho," he said quietly.

Deep in Speedy's subconscious, the Titan gave a smile. With a single thought, he implanted the 'sleep' command into the hero's brain.

As Speedy dropped, Jericho shook his head as he returned to his own body. It was done. Quickly, Robin placed a finger to his ear, and activated his comm.

"Mission accomplished, Master," he said, emotionlessly. "Should we finish them?"

"No," Slade's voice came in over the comm. "Have Raven take them to the H.I.V.E. We'll bring them into the ranks later. Until then, we'll know exactly where they are. Tell Raven to inform the Brain that the H.I.V.E. is clear to search the Tower for their subject."

Despite the control Slade had over the heroes, he somehow feared that the mere mentioning of Beast Boy could have an impact on their mental conditioning. It was probably nothing to worry about, but one could never be too sure.

"Acknowledged, Master," the Boy Wonder said. "What are our orders now?"

The comm was silence for a moment. "Return to the clock tower," the merc finally said. "I think the city knows what it has coming to them. Let's let them stew in their own juices for a while."

"Understood, Master," Robin said. Looking at Raven, he nodded. Without a word, the girl encircled the fallen heroes in an ethereal bubble and headed off towards the H.I.V.E.

"Team, return to the tower."

* * *

"Good boy, Robin," Slade muttered to himself as he watched the team carry out their orders. He felt pretty good as of the moment. His plan was functioning flawlessly. Still, he wasn't sure why the Brain was so interested in Logan's remains. Mod had been found dead in London, so the heart was of no concern. Perhaps he just wanted a trophy of the man who killed Mento…twice. Truthfully, it was no concern of his, but Slade hadn't become a trained killer and a powerful crime lord by ignoring the things around him. He would keep an eye on the situation. If things got out of hand…well, with him in control of the city, there wouldn't _be_ a need for the H.I.V.E. anymore…

Leaning back in his chair, the mercenary was at his zenith. The greatest team the city had ever known was under his control, and the only ones who could stop him were either captured or oblivious to the events taking place. He smiled under his mask. This time, nothing could stop him…


	7. I Won't Do What You Tell Me

_As I step out into the hallway, I hear the silence. It's deafening. I was expecting some tears, some screams of grief, someone playing mariachi music – you know, something. As I look in the living room, I find it empty. Damn, the Titans didn't even get a chance to recoup before the city needed them again. Looks like I had the place to myself. Probably thrown a party if the people I wanted to party with weren't out on patrol. _

_Looking down, I realize my treads were trashed. Need to change these things and now. I head down the hall to where my old room was. Been three months, but there might be some old uniforms left in my room. I get a few feet down the hall before I come to a stop. Hell, that's new…_

_My eyes are drawn to the case sitting in the hallway. Missed it the last time I was here. Too concerned about the blob of snot in my chest that passed for my heart to take in this little addition. Inside the case is one of my old Doom Patrol uniforms. A plaque sat beneath it bearing my mug. Leaning in, I take in the words printed on the metal:_

_**This case stands in honor of Garfield Logan – a.k.a. Beast Boy – of the Teen Titans. A man who sacrificed everything to save his friends, and who gave all of himself in order to bring truth, justice, and – **_

_I stifle a laugh as I catch the final line of the eulogy:_

_**-the last slice of pizza to those he treasured as his friends. He will remain in our hearts…forever.**_

_Nice, Rob. Little mushy, but it's all good. Can't be badass all the time – just most of the time. Wonder what they'll think of me now…_

_SHH! What was that? What, who the hell am I shushing? Never mind – I can hear the pulleys in the elevator straining as the cab moved it's way up the shaft. Could be the Titans. Then again, nothing recently had been going my way, so I doubt that. Hmm, looks like it's time to break this newly-rebuilt body in. Come get some, motherfuckers…_

* * *

DING.

The elevator doors opened slowly. Cautiously, the occupants exited the confines, all of them on edge and ready for anything. Most of them were up and coming kids just out of the Academy and on their first mission for the H.I.V.E. One, however, was ready for anything. He was Private H.I.V.E. – one of the most decorated villains ever to grace the villain's training academy. If anyone could accomplish this mission, it would be him…

_Well, well, well, if it isn't Private Fucknuts. Mind's still a little muddied, but I recall that he had a spot on the H.I.V.E. Five as well. Kinda glad I'm still around. Time to put the Five to rest for good. Motherfuckers step in here, they get beat down. Gonna wish they hadn't messed with me and mine. This is my house, and I make the rules…well, as long as no one else is around. Crouching down in the doorway of my old room, I listen in to the conversation…_

"Okay, team," Private H.I.V.E. said briskly, "The Brain wants Logan's body – no ifs, and or butts. Start tearing this place apart. I'm heading to the medical wing. If he's here, he's ours. Understood?"

"YES SIR!" the four young villains said in unison.

_Well, that brings back memories – bad ones. Another group of tools trained to do someone else's bidding. Not me – not anymore. I'm solo now. I wouldn't do what Mento wanted, so he tried to make me do it. All he got for his efforts was dead. Guess what? These fucks wouldn't get a chance to celebrate their graduation. Game on._

One of the young villains made his way down the hallway. Hell of a way to start his career with the H.I.V.E. – first mission into the belly of the beast, the headquarters of the greatest hero team the city had ever seen.

Suddenly, he came to a stop. He had found his way to the trophy case. Reading the inscription, he let out a laugh.

"Beast Boy," he said. "Must have been a faggot…" Then he took a closer look. The case was ajar – almost as if whatever had been inside had already been taken. "Wonder what this thing was?"

He didn't know it, but this rookie had just asked his last question.

_He doesn't even see it coming. I step out of the doorway. With a swift motion, I kick the little fucker in the back as I open the case back up. His head goes inside. I close the front of the case on his neck and pull back on his shoulder. CRACK! Head's no longer connected to the spine bone. Pulling the case back open, I drag the rookie back into the room and drop him on the floor like a sack of bricks. No need to molly-coddle his ass at this point. Who's the faggot now, Bobblehead Fred? I grimace as I get back up. Leave it to the guys to take the smallest outfit they could find and put it in the case. Then again, they probably weren't expecting its' old owner to come looking for it…_

_I step back out of the room. I see another one – a girl – searching Robin's room. Don't know what the H.I.V.E. wants, but I know what it's gonna get: Pain – and a lot of it._

_The girl lets out a cry of pain as I drive a forearm into the back of her neck. Her back arches up in agony. My arms are around her neck. Like snapping a twig…Nah. Call me old-fashioned, but boys and girls should play nice. I apply enough pressure to send her off to Never-Neverland for a while. Stepping back out, I get a good view of the other two. One's pulling up the cushions on the couch, other's checking the fridge. Gotta be green. Or hungry. Or looking for change. Fuck it – no skin off my nose. Just makes it that much easier to finish the job…_

The masked villain rummaged through the stocked refrigerator of the Titan headquarters. Didn't get a chance to hit the mess hall before the Private got them ready for action. Hmm, a liverwurst sandwich would surely hit the spot…

The young kid was too engrossed to see Logan charge out from out of the hallway and leap over the counter. He did notice, however, when the Titan twisted his head sharply to the left. Dying on an empty stomach…well, that has to suck…

_Yup. Definitely green. All these kids come out of the H.I.V.E. thinking they got eyes in the back of their fuckin head. Truth is most of them don't notice the forest for the trees until they start falling. Eventually, they do realize their fate – and it's always too late. Cushion Boy is still digging for pennies. Probably hankering for a $.89 Gordita. I'm hankering for a hunk of his ass…and not in __**that**__ way…_

_This one's got some sense. He looks up as I clear the couch. Not enough sense, though, as my legs wrap around his head. Twist. Snap. Done. Logan 4, H.I.V.E. 0. Looking for a shutout. Come on Privates – I'm waiting…_

* * *

Private H.I.V.E. shuddered as he glanced around the medical ward. Blood still stained the table and the floor where the operation had taken place. Even worse, the smell of burnt flesh lingered in the air. A wave of nausea hit him as he saw the flaked skin lying on the floor. No one could have survived what happened to Beast Boy on the H.I.V.E. roof, but his body was gone. No way could they have buried him so quickly…

Swallowing hard, the villain realized he would have to go back to the Brain empty-handed – not a good thing to say the least.

H.I.V.E.'s feet shuffled on the floor as he headed back down the hallway. Failing a mission – not a good way to impress the new headmaster…or his hired hand. Still, at least the Titans were out of the way. Word was spreading fast of the Teen Titans' capture and their subsequent defeat of their Steel City teammates. Looks like Jump City was fair game to whoever wanted to take it. Things were about to get interesting to say the least.

"Alright team, assemble and let's roll!" the villain said as he reentered the living room. He was greeted with silence. Looking around, he realized he was standing alone in the tower. "Team? Let's go!" he said, his voice echoing in the room.

Suddenly, a voice projected itself from behind him. It was one he never expected to hear again:

"No use, Fucknuts. They can't hear you now…well, maybe that one girl, but she's sure in no shape to help your sorry ass."

Private H.I.V.E. spun around so quickly his head nearly did a 360. His eyes threatened to leave his skull like an F-18 off a naval carrier. If he had been a little bit older, he probably would have dropped dead on the floor.

"B-B-B-Beast Boy!" he stammered, falling back onto the floor.

"Well, if it isn't Forrest Gump," Logan said, smirking with his arms crossed over his chest. "I think you and I need to have a t-t-t-talk!"

As the Titan's hands gripped his uniform, the villain knew his day was not going to end well.

* * *

"So, you wanna tell me why the fuck you and your merry band of anal-dwelling butt monkeys are snooping around the Tower?" Logan asked. His right arm bulged underneath his uniform. Understandable – it takes a lot of control to hold a 200-lb sack of villainous shit over the edge of a letter-shaped skyscraper. Private H.I.V.E. swung by his left leg perilously over a death drop. Still, his attitude remained intact for the moment.

"What's it to you, Dead Man?" he asked, sarcastically.

"Because I gots to know," the Titan said, grimacing. Slapping his arm with his free hand, he grinned. "Better talk fast. Remember, Privates – this is my weak arm."

Despite the show of defiance, the villain's face began melting into a mask of fear. "Dude, you're…you're fuckin' crazy!"

"Heh, maybe I am," Logan said, smirking. "But in case you haven't noticed, this fuckin' crazy man is the only thing standing between you and terminal velocity – and having experienced it firsthand, I can tell you it sucks balls. Now, you wanna spill it, or should I spill you?"

Private H.I.V.E. was silent for a moment. Then he let out a girlish shriek as Logan let his leg slide a little in his grasp.

"Mother – tick fucking – tock," the Titan said.

"SHIT! SHIT! Alright!" the villain said, holding his hands out in surrender. "Look, I was sent here to find your body for the Brain!"

_What the fuck…_

"The BRAIN?!" Logan said, stunned. "What the hell's he want with me?"

"Probably to stuff you and display you in his den," the villain said, a tinge of panic in his voice. "What the fuck do I know?!"

Logan stood for a second, his mind deep in thought. "Okay, I'll buy that," he said, finally. "Not smart enough for the Brain to tell you what he's doing. Now, what about the Titans?"

H.I.V.E. grinned. "Sorry, can't help you there," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

The Titan returned the grin. "Well, can't always get what you want…" he mused.

"Yeah," the villain said, nodding. "So, are we cool?"

"Just one last question," Logan said, quietly.

"Shoot."

The grin on Logan's face became a mask of evil. "Can you fly, H.I.V.E.Y?"

The young villain's jaw went slack. "Wait," he said, quickly. "No…No…NOOO!"

_As my hand opened up, Privates shit himself. Nice way to die – broken on the rocks with a pant-full of butt cheese. Probably the least of his worries as of the moment – emphasis on moment. Don't even need to see him hit the rocks below. Like I said, you can't always get what you want…but, sometimes, you get what you need – or jolly well fuckin' deserve. H.I.V.E. Five's done for good. Off to the big porta-potty in the sky. As for the Titans…well, I am sitting on the most technologically advanced marvel in the entire city. Might wanna try tracking them down. Gee, what an idea. Surprised I got that one on the first try. Anyway, the city's going through a major shitstorm and only I got an umbrella. Time to get back in the game…_


	8. Technical Difficulties

"Ow…Ow…Ow…"

Speedy continued muttering to himself as he poked his finger into the electric shield covering the door to the cell. Each time his finger hit the shield, it sent a mild shock into his system. He had been doing this for…oh, since he regained consciousness some twenty minutes ago.

"Speedy, I would like to inform you at this juncture that I am still…not alright in regards to my system," Bumblebee said, calmly. "In other words, you may want to knock that off before I shove your DICK INTO THE SHEILD!"

"Hey, if there was something better to do I do it!" the hero said, looking back at the Titan leader.

The heroes had awoken to a rather unpleasant situation – all of them had been taken to the H.I.V.E. and placed into confinement. The same type of energy shield that had ensnared their friends was now keeping them in the Academy against their will. Not exactly their idea of rest and recreation.

"Lad, I think we're in over our heads," Bee said, looking over at the aquatic hero.

"Tell me something I don't know," the hero said, staring at the floor. His mind was preoccupied with what had befallen their friends. The look in their eyes had been one of violence and death. They hadn't recognized them at all. Granted he and the others had been under Blood's similar control before, but they still remembered who they were. Robin and the others had become mindless pawns in a deadly game of chess, and Jump City was the game board. "Probably just a matter of time before they flip us over. Then the city's done for."

Looking up from the floor, Lad saw Raven sitting on the other side of the cell. Her eyes may have been closed, her body in meditation, but she was ready and able to level them the moment the word was given. Unlike the other Titans, Raven was basically on loan to the H.I.V.E. as the Titans East's bodyguard. Another smirk came to his face as the hero recalled how he had gotten the upper hand on the sorceress. Maybe he'd get another chance in the near future. His eyes broke away from Raven as he watched Bee sit down on the floor near him.

"You know, I hate to say this, but…I think we're fucked," Bee said, cradling her head in her hands.

The remark brought a smirk to Aqualad's face. "The last guy I said that to wiped out half of the villain population in the city," he said, quietly. "Wherever he is now, I hope he's happy…"

* * *

_I've never been so pissed off in my entire life._

_Fucking computer is practically laughing at me. Robin must have pulled my access codes after the shit that went down at the Perez. Probably didn't think I needed it anymore. Probably a good decision at the time. Now, it's just another pain in my ass. _

_I finally give up as the screen flashes me the digital equivalent of the middle finger for the millionth and a half time. At my wit's end, I give one back. Not gonna do me any good, but at least you know my stance on technology. Computer's lucky I ain't packing, or I'd have Elvised it's fuckin' ass. Looks like I'm going back onto the streets for my answers. Got a place. Been there before. Know some other people who hang out there. People who know people if you get my drift. 'Bout time I did some clubbin…_


	9. Panic At The Disco!

_DING. The elevator opens up in the garage. I winch as I take in the spot where Robin's motorcycle was. That's on its' way to the scrap yard courtesy of me. Guess the downside of being alive is they're going to hold me to that tab. Man, I ain't getting paid for the rest of the fuckin' year at this rate…_

_I hit the hydraulic controls and watch as the Cy-Car comes down off of its' lift. Need a ride, not taking a cab, and Cyborg's not here to stop me. Gonna be good to it this time. Third time's a charm._

_I hope…_

* * *

_As I drive down the tunnel, I get the feeling that shit's not alright with the world. Coming out onto the streets, the midday sun reveals a veritable wasteland. Usually there's people walking the streets talking, dancing, or at least doing something. Now it looks like high noon in an old western. Gotta calm my nerves. I turn on the radio…_

_DAMN! My ears practically turn inside out as the hardcore rap blares from the speakers. Never been a fan of rap, to tell you the truth. I mean, how many times can you rap about the same shit? Then again, this old-man army routine might be getting old, too…Anyway, I scan through the stations. On the fourth button press I see it: __**Beast Boy's iMix**__. I smile. Cy never got around to reprogramming the radio. Not sure he wanted to let go the last piece he had of me. Pressing play, I hear a song that puts me in a better mood:_

_**Early in the morning  
**__**Rise into the street  
**__**Light me up that cigarette  
**__**And I strap shoes on my feet  
**__**Got to find the reason  
**__**Reason things went wrong  
**__**Got to find the reason  
**__**Why my money's all gone  
**__**I got a Dalmatian  
**__**I can still get high  
**__**I can play the guitar like a  
**__**Mother fuckin' riot…**_

_I bump my head to the beat of "What I Got" as I head down the street. Got a plan to get some info. Headed to one of the biggest undercover H.I.V.E. rendezvous points. Looking for someone in particular – but not for that info. Too stupid to know anything useful. But she can be __**used **__– used to get my hands on someone who really has a brain. As I recall, she was about two months away from parole when I took that dive from the helicopter. If I was her, I'd be living la vida fuckin' loca. Let's hope she can't tell what time it is…_

* * *

The Supernova sat in downtown Jump City, not too far from the Perez Hotel – a place of myth and legend for the last couple of months. Unlike the other businesses in the area, the party club used the story of the unstoppable vigilante to their advantage. There, the party never stopped – 24/7/365, 366 on Leap Year. High octane music and high proof drinks kept partiers popping off at all times of the day. The best of all – no age limit. Well, at least to anyone who could prove themselves a proficient villain or bore relations to a villain. Kitty was one of the latter. Finally out on parole from Juvi after her failed attempt to make out with Robin and her father's to wipe out the Titans, she was partying like there was no tomorrow. Too bad for her that old adage sometimes lives up to its' meaning…

* * *

_The lights in the Supernova strobe out of control as I enter the club. Place didn't have bouncers anymore – The Academy had sent down fully armed H.I.V.E. soldiers to police the joint. Good thing to know in case shit starts popping off. The speakers are blaring in here as well. Another song I know all too well:_

_**Do you know the enemy?  
Do you know your enemy?  
Well, gotta know the enemy**_

_**Do you know the enemy?  
Do you know your enemy?  
Well, gotta know the enemy**_

_**Do you know the enemy?  
Do you know your enemy?  
Well, gotta know the enemy**_

_**Violence is an energy  
Against the enemy  
Violence is an energy…**_

_Goddamn right, Billie Joe. Violence is a fuckin' energy. Let's see how high it can take me…_

* * *

The high heels were tapping as Kitty flung her head around, her hair flailing in all directions. Being back out among the living was a good feeling. Secretly, she was hoping to get another chance to take revenge against that conniving Starfire for messing up her perfect night with Robin. Then again the Boy Wonder hadn't been too nice of a guy either…not like her Fang. Yup, freedom was worth every single breath…

Suddenly, she became aware of the other young kids moving away from her, their eyes wide open in shock and awe. Looking down at herself, she surmised it couldn't be because of her dress, so what was the problem…

"Hey, Kitty," a voice projected from behind her. "See they haven't gotten around to spaying you yet."

The young girl spun around, her eyes widened. That voice…she'd never heard it before. Who the hell thought they were so tough they could simply approach her, the daughter of the legendary Killer Moth?

"Who the fuck…?" Kitten's jaw dropped as she took in the sight in front of her. She may not have been the brightest bulb on the planet, but even she recognized the twice-dead Titan. "Oh, God…"

"Speaking," Logan said, smirking. "See you're enjoying parole."

"What's it to ya?" the girl said, brushing her hair out of her face. "I've done nothing wrong, so why don't you crawl back into your grave, Beast Toy?"

"Oh, you're quick today," the Titan said, shaking his head. "Don't hurt yourself by trying too hard."

"Fuck you!" Kitty said, smirking. "You have no idea how far out of your league you are. All I have to do is scream, and your whole world is gonna come crashing down."

The young girl expected those words to have an impact. It did – but not the way she wanted. Her eyes got even wider as Logan grabbed her by the shoulders, and pulled her close to him.

"I think I can handle the earthquake," he said, his eyes narrowing. "Now, how about that scream?"

"Your funeral," Kitty said, a twisted smile on her face…

_I winch in pain as Kitten lets out a shriek that vibrates all the glass bottles behind the bar. Damn, this bitch's got some cords. Probably could get her father to fix American Idol so she'd win. Just need to get rid of Simon and everything would be peachy. Anyway, I see a handful of H.I.V.E. soldiers coming my way. One look tells me they're not too happy. Not armed, but I got Kitty in front of me, so they're holding their fire. Killing the daughter of a prominent Jump City Villain – not the best way to get a promotion in the Academy. I step back a bit, Kitten's body still held out in front of me. Gotta wait for the right time. If there's one thing I'm not, it's bulletproof. Just need to find a bit of cover…_

_FUCK! My mind explodes into pain. Fuckin' bitch! I hear her laugh as she retracts the point of her stiletto heel from between my legs. Should have seen it coming. Despite the pain, my tattered brain puts the pieces together: There's five H.I.V.E. soldiers, and I just lost my Master Shield. Oh shit…_

_BZZZZ! BZZZZ! BZZZZ! My feet leave the floor as high power lasers rip through me like a hot knife through butter. The club clears out lickity-fucking-split as I take to the air. I end up hitting the wall some ten feet behind me with the force of a human cannonball. Shit this stuff burns! I can see the holes peppered in my outfit, blood seeping from the wounds. Not a good place to be. Here I am, the unstoppable Garfield Logan, bleeding out on the floor of some discothèque thanks to Kitty – Jump City's D-minus villain. Fuckin' way to go out. Rae…I can see you in my mind…maybe it's time to step away from this for good…adios, babe. See you when I see…ya…_


	10. A Different Kind of Logan

* * *

Kitty's grin grew wide as she watched the forlorn Titan slump to the floor. For her, it was a win she had been waiting for quite some time. Couldn't swoon Robin, couldn't beat Starfire during the Brotherhood's attack on the Titans, but she had taken down the supposed Boogeyman of Jump City with a minimum of fuss. As usual, she was quick to take all the credit.

"YES!" she squealed, jumping up and down in her heels. "I beat Logan! I single-handedly beat Garfield Logan!"

"But, miss…" one of the guards began.

"I..single-handedly..beat..Garfield..Logan," the girl repeated, emphasizing each word. "That's what I'm going to tell Daddy – and if any one of you screws this up for me, I'll see it you'll spend the rest of your life watching seals hump in the ARCTIC!"

The soldiers looked at one another for a moment.

"Sure, we can handle that," one of them said.

"Good," Kitty said, sauntering over to the bar. "Now, somebody get me a drink. I gotta get these shoes off…"

* * *

_Hmm._

_Still here. Normally that wouldn't have been a surprise - especially when you take into account all the shit I'd been through in the past three months. But this was different. I just took three solid shots to the chest from pulse rifles. Shit, even Cyborg would have to take a knee on a play like that. Fuck am I even still breathing…Wait…is that…No fucking way…_

_Oh, this is gonna be so __**sweet**__…_

* * *

"Daddy is going to be so surprised when he hears that I took out Beast Boy once and for all," Kitten said as she pulled off her other stiletto heel. Much better. "I'll bet he'll give me a brand new Mustang or something cool to drive to show the rest of the world how perfect I really am…"

"You might wanna back track just a bit," a voice emanated from the dimly lit dance floor. Startled, the young girl nearly fell off her stool as Logan stepped out of the shadows, still very-much alive. "Didn't Daddy ever tell you not to count your chickens before they hatch?"

"No," Kitty said curtly. "I didn't grow up on a farm like you, Animal Boy! Besides, you're supposed to be dead!"

"Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated," the Titan said, smirking. "Now, let's talk."

"Fuck that," Kitty said, waving on the five soldiers. "How about _I _talk, and _you _BLEED!"

The twisted grin return to the girl's face as the soldiers let loose another round of laser blasts into Logan's torso. This time however, the hero only staggered back a step or two. The club was eerily silent as all the parties in attendance watched the bloody wounds in the hero's chest slowly close back up.

"No fucking way…" Kitty squeaked, her eyes bulging.

_Hmm, looks like it wasn't a fluke. Whatever I injected myself with back at the Tower had some kind of healing properties to it. Fuck, this kind of thing reminds me of another man they call Logan – someone who was the best at what he did. Kinda like me. Sorry, boys, but just like the other Logan…what I do isn't very nice, either…_

_Game on._

* * *

One of the soldiers let out a yelp as Logan charged headlong into him. Laser rifles were blasting, but the Titan wasn't going down. In fact, he just seemed to get more pissed with each consecutive wound. With a fury that would have made the Hulk jealous, Logan ripped the rifle from the unlucky soldier's hands and smashed the butt end of it into his face. The skull bones cracked beneath the surface like fine china, driving fragments deep into his brain. Technical knockout.

Kitty sat in awe and horror as Logan turned his rifle against the other four soldiers. Four pulls of the trigger. Four BZZZZ's. Four bodies hitting the floor. Not missing a single shot…priceless.

The job was done. Logan had his bargaining chip. As he turned back to face the girl, she swallowed hard. Maybe she should have stayed home today…

* * *

"You know, my daddy's gonna tear you apart when he gets his hands on you!" Kitty shouted as Logan wrapped the tight cord around her body. He had taken it from the DJ equipment. Guy had disappeared into the night the moment the soldiers had opened up. Probably wouldn't be coming back for it anytime soon.

"Better hope I don't regenerate like a starfish, bitch," the Titan said, coldly. "Fucking villains of this city's afraid of one of me. What would it do against an entire army of Logans?"

_I finish tying Kitty up to the chair. She might be a vindictive bitch, but she's not exactly Houdini. As for me…well, whatever's happened to me is a mystery. Willing to bet it was some kind of secret concoction Cy was working on. What it does, how long it lasts, will it make me impotent – all questions I'd like to have answered. Especially that last one. All I know right now is that my body's healing factor is on hyperdrive. Once again, I'm infected with some kind of shit that's running rampant through my body. This time, however, this shit seems to be working in my favor. Gonna milk it for all it's worth…_

_Walking back towards the bar, I find Kitty's purse. I turn it over and dump the contents out on the counter. Makeup, lip gloss, nail polish – standard inventory for the average girl's purse. Looking for something else that's standard…Aha! Kitty's cell. Figure it's time to call Daddy and make a date…Shit, phone's on lockdown. Hate these damn iPhones. Well, guess it's time to play twenty questions…_

The young villain scowled at Logan as he knelt down next to her.

"The code for the phone," he said, firmly. "Unlock it…now."

"How would you like me to do that?" she asked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "You tied my hands behind my back!"

"Give me the code," the Titan reiterated.

Kitty rolled her eyes. "Not happening," she said, looking away.

Logan narrowed his eyes. "Last chance," he said, grimly. "The code…now."

The girl grinned at him. "Or what?" she asked, teasingly.

_Wrong answer…_

Kitty shifted uncomfortably as Logan got back to his feet. The look in his eye was one of 'You just fucked up big time'. Slowly, she watched as he looked down at her.

"Your funeral," he echoed her own words back to her.

The girl let out a shriek as the Titan kicked the legs of the chair out from under her, flipping her down onto her back. "FUCK!" she screamed. "What are you…?! Oh no…Please! NO! Don't do that! Anything but that!! NOOOOO!!!"

_Kitten lets out a horrific shriek as I start in on her. Her body strains against her bonds, her head slams back on the ground, and her eyes are streaming with tears within seconds, smearing her makeup. God, I'm killing her…well, killing her softly…_

_Her body shakes in torment as I run my fingers across her bare soles. Aw, looks like the big bad kitty's ticklish. Tough shit. Gave her enough chances to loosen her lips. Now it's my turn. Didn't even wanna have to deal with this girl, but circumstances don't work out the way we all want. I watch as she continues to slam her head on the floor in ticklish agony. She keeps it up she's gonna be brain damaged…well, more than she already is, I guess. I smile to myself as I watch her squirm. Never thought of using this to get the things I want. Hmm, gotta remember this the next time I need something from Raven…or Starfire…_

_Daddy's little girl's just too ticklish to clam up forever. It only takes a minute and a half before I hear the singing…_

"OKAY! OKAY! I'LL TA-HAHAHAHHAHAALK!!" Kitty screamed out in a mixture of defeat and frustration. "PLE-EEHEEHEHEEHESSSE STOP!"

"Oh, isn't that cute?" Logan said, getting back to his feet. Looking down at her, he held the phone up again.

"The code, Tickle-Me-Elmo," he said, sternly.

"O-o-o-okay," the girl said, breathing hard. "It's…it's…12345…"

_Son of a bitch! Should have seen that one coming! I feel like a fucking dupe. I contemplate beating her until she was retarded – but that wouldn't take too long by the look of things. Shaking my head, I input the code. Gotta be a trick. No one's that stupid…_

_DING._

_Well, I stand corrected. Phone's up. Scrolling the list, I find Killer Moth's number. Time to get some answers…_


	11. Call And Answer

The phone deep within the lair of the Killer Moth rang for a few moments before the villain got around to picking it up. He really didn't want to answer it. Chances were it was his daughter, the Royal Highness/Pain in the Ass, looking for a ride or calling home to gripe about something else. Still, Kitten was his daughter, and blood would always be thicker than water…regardless of the times he might have wanted to spill that blood.

"Honey, please tell me you're not in jail again," he said as he picked up the receiver. "Daddy's running out of money for bail."

The fatherly villain was expecting something to come back over the phone – but he got something different instead.

"It's four o'clock, Mothy," a voice said. "Do you know where your daughter is?"

Killer Moth's blood ran cold as he recognized the voice on the other end of the line. It couldn't be…

"L…Logan?" he asked.

"Ding…Ding…Ding," the Titan said, slowly. "You're on the ball today, Moth. Probably wishing Kitty was a little more attentive right about now, aren't ya?"

Holding the phone away from his ear, Logan looked at the captive girl still lying on the floor. "Say hi to Daddy," he said.

"FUCK YOU, LOGAN!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. Undaunted, the hero put the phone back up to his ear.

"You catch that?" he asked.

"You know, for a dead man you're becoming a goddamn nuisance!" Killer Moth said, angrily.

"I'll buy that," Logan said, firmly. "Now, I need some answers. Titans went out on a call some time ago. Now they've all dropped off the grid. Why?"

Moth laughed. "You expect me to enlighten you, asshole?" he asked. "I plan on eviscerating you!"

"Ooo, kinky," Logan said, grinning. "I'm sure you're blowing hot loads of jism into your pants as we're speaking, but that doesn't help me. I'll ask again: What the fuck happened to the Titans?"

"Got to Hell, Bitch Boy!" Moth said.

"That's 'Beast' Boy, bitch," Logan said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "One last time. You fuck me on this one, and Kitty's gonna wish she never left her cell."

The remark struck the villain hard. No way Beast Boy of the Teen Titans would be threatening to harm his daughter. That wasn't something he could do. Then again, the stories floating around the H.I.V.E. of the shit he had done against both Blood and Elasti-Girl had become the stuff of legend. Who really knew what he was capable of now? Still, Killer Moth felt he had Logan right where he wanted him. He couldn't do this, not right over the phone.

"Fuck you," he muttered.

"Wrong fuckin' answer," Logan said, his voice like gravel.

A hand went up to the villain's mouth as he heard a horrific scream come over the phone. It was his daughter's – he had hear it enough in his life to recognize it anywhere. Another scream blared through the phone. God…what had he done?

* * *

_I hear silence on the other end of the phone. Once again, I drag my fingernails up the soles of Kitty's feet. Each time I do, she screams bloody fuckin' murder. Without any kind of visual I pretty sure there's a whole bunch of scenarios running through Moth's mind – none of them good. Shit, since those SAW movies came out, the kind of twisted shit the mind can come up with in the absence of certainty is utterly disgusting. Just what I'm planning on. Let the fucker stew for a bit while I tease his daughter. Hmm, I can hear him breathing over the phone. Either he's going fucking apeshit or he's jacking off. Honestly, I'm voting on the former. Shit's twisted enough without that kind of issues thrown into the mix. _

_I drag my nails again. There's that screech. That's half a dozen so far. I start yelling at her, making Moth think up some even worse shit. Suddenly, I pause. Is that what I think it is? Is…is he…__**crying?**__ I think I broke Daddy's nerve..._

* * *

"LOGAN! ENOUGH!" Moth screamed over the phone. "PLEASE! SHE'S JUST A GIRL!"

"And my friends are just the same!" the Titan said, sternly. "Give me some answers, asshole! NOW!"

"FINE! FINE!" the villain said, his voice nearly a sob. "Just stop!"

The phone was silent for a moment. Then the villain was back. "Look, word's already spread throughout the city – Slade's using the Titans as his own personal army."

_My blood runs cold as I hear those words. The Titans – my friends – turned into Slade's motherfucking manservants?! I grit my teeth as I compose a reply._

"How?" Logan asked.

"Some kind of mind control," Moth said. "Apparently learned it from the Brain. It's like the one Blood used before but much stronger."

"How'd the Brain figure it out?" the Titan asked.

"Beats me," the villain said. "He's got more resources than ever now that they made him the new headmaster."

_FUCK! Well, should have seen that one coming. Brain's always been looking for the next big way to get power in the world. With the Doom Patrol gone and a spot open in the Academy, he had everything he needed to jumpstart World War III. But one thing he didn't count on was me. I'm gonna put that fuck down once and for all…_

_Wait a sec…Lad and the others were at the Tower as well, right? Right? Wait – who the fuck am I asking? Couldn't have up and disappeared. So where were they? One way to find out… _

"Where's the other Titans?" Logan asked, quickly.

"Captured by their former allies," Moth said. "Last time I knew, they were being held in the H.I.V.E. awaiting reeducation."

"Good to know," Logan said.

"Logan…" Moth's voice got very faint. "Please…don't hurt my Kitty anymore…"

The Titan stifled a chuckle. If he only knew…

"Fine," he said. "Come on down to the Supernova. You can pick up what remains of her."

* * *

_I end the call before Moth has a chance to respond. He'll be on his way faster that Kid Flash after an 8-ball. Time to vacate the premises…_

"I hope you burn in Hell for this!" Kitty said, still struggling against her binds as Logan righted the chair she was tied to. "I swear when I get out of here I'm going to rip your tonsils out and wear them as earrings!"

"Calm down, Kitten," the hero said. "You'll give yourself a coronary."

"I'll give you a size 4 right up your ass!" the girl continued hurling insults at the shape shifter. "You ass-raping, cocksucking, ball-licking, fuckfaced child molesting sack of dog shit!"

"WHOA!" Logan said, taking a step back. "Tourette's Syndrome much? Shit, you don't know how fuckin' lucky you are! Those puke sacks bleeding out on the dance floor ain't ever gonna boogie-woogie again. Be thankful all I did was tickle you!"

Walking back to the bar, the hero scooped up the discarded article of makeup and dropped them back into the purse. "Here," he said, tossing it back onto her lap. "Don't forget your shoes – probably cost a pretty penny out of Daddy's pocket. As for you cell…well, I'll just hang on to it. Got a couple of people I need to reach out and touch."

"You fuck!" Kitty screamed as Logan walked past her towards the exit. "You miserable cunt! I swear, you're dead when I get out of here, Logan! You hear me? YOU'RE DEAD!"

* * *

_I chuckle to myself as I leave Daddy's spoiled little rich bitch to her own devices. Still, got to applaud her for seeing the obvious: I __**am**__ dead. Died twice so far. Working real hard not to make it a trifecta. Of course, if I really wanted to stay alive I would have gotten the fuck outta this city the moment I knew the Brain was looking for me. Nobody can hide from that blob of pus forever. Guess I'm not that smart. Gotta save the Titans. Gotta save the world. Gotta do it the only way I know how – with extreme prejudice. Still, I've let two miserable sad sacks live so far. Might have fooled myself by stating they were girls, but that wouldn't have held me back before. Maybe having my heart back is making me a softy. Maybe…maybe I don't want to become what I hated the most. Only time's gonna tell if I win that battle. _

_I let out a sigh as I hop back into the Cy-Car. Gotta find something to give me an edge in this battle. As I start the car, an idea comes to me. Cy's car doesn't have the same restrictions as the computer back at the tower does. Quickly, I punch up a search for any and all active Titan communicators in the city. Doesn't take long to get an answer. That's because there wasn't much to search for. Shit. Got one. Robin and the others don't have communicators on them, and Bee's team had their taken. Now for the $64,000 question: Who's the odd man out? Quickly, I zoom in on the location of the signal. Ahhh…that brings back memories. Looks like I'm heading back to that dark little hole in the wall. Hmm, wonder what she'll be wearing this time…_


	12. A Call To Arms

The H.I.V.E. was buzzing with activity. Word spread fast of the sound defeat of the city's protectors at the hands of Slade, so the up and coming villains were ecstatic about their chances to get in on the action. The city was their playground now. All they were waiting for was the bell for recess.

Deep with the Headmaster's room, the Brain sat watching the activity through the monitors. If anything, he was intrigued with how the young villains would take this opportunity.

"Mallah, this may be the moment we have been waiting for," the villain said, his voice synthesizer pumping out his monotonous tone in the direction of his able henchmen Monsieur Mallah.

"Indeed, sir," the gorilla responded in a rather refined accent. "Still, we have yet to hear anything from Private H.I.V.E.'s team at the Tower."

"He is most certainly bidding his time," the Brain said. "He is waiting for the perfect moment to bring me the spoils of conquest."

Suddenly, a red light began flashing on the console before the two villains.

"We have an incoming transmission, sir," Mallah said.

"Open the channel," the Brain said.

As the gorilla accessed the panel, a female voice came over the speakers. To both their surprise, it was sobbing. "Oh…God…" it said, repeating it over and over like a broken record.

"Identify yourself," Mallah said, firmly.

After a rather ragged breath, the voice continued: "This is Elaine Gonzalez, H.I.V.E. Threat Level 1."

"A rookie," the gorilla mused to himself.

"Where are you?" the Brain asked.

"At-at Titan Tower," the girl said, stammering. "I was with…with Private H.I.V.E.'s team searching for Logan…Oh Dios Mios…"

"What has happened to the team?" Mallah asked.

There was a pause as Gonzalez took another ragged breath. "They're…they're all dead," she whimpered.

The news came as a shock to the two villains.

"WHAT?" the Brain said, his synthesizer bearing as much emotion as it would let him.

"Who did this?" Mallah asked.

"I…I don't know," the girl said, quietly. "I got choked out when I was searching a room. I never saw a face…God, is that…oh Lord it is…H.I.V.E….Oh God…"

Mallah grimaced as he heard the unmistakable sound of vomiting over the comm. "You're got to be kidding me…" he muttered under his breath.

"Elaine, where are you now?" the Brain asked.

"I'm - I'm on the roof of the Tower," the girl said, sobbing. "God, someone please get me out of here…"

"Stay where you are, Gonzalez," the Brain said. "We are rectifying the situation as we speak." With a slight turn, the robotic body carrying the villainous mind turned to face Monsieur Mallah. "Do it," he said.

The gorilla cleared his throat. Placing his mouth near the mic, he flipped a switch on the panel. The stage was set…

* * *

"Elaine, everything is all right." The young girl stood up straight as the voice came through the communicator. Her eyes dried up as they shone a crimson red. "You've done your job exceptionally. Now, it's time for you to be free. Walk off into the distance, my child…and feel freedom."

Like a zombie, Elaine Gonzalez took those fated steps. Her feet hit the concrete with a resounding THUD. Her eyes remained open, yet unable to see. Finally, her foot stepped out into open air. God, it was true… she was _free_. She was like a bird, flying high into the skies, away from the darkness and strife of the world, away from the carnage that she had witnessed, and away from the two broken bodies that lay upon the rocky shore of Titan Island.

* * *

"Good work, Mallah," the Brain said as the gorilla shut off the mic. "Perhaps the voice synthesizer I designed using Brother Blood's voice signature was not such a waste of time after all."

"I hate to ask, but why did you want the girl to die?" Mallah asked as he straightened back up. "All she did was witness the death of her comrades. That itself shouldn't have been a punishable offense."

"Elaine Gonzalez was just a mere cog in the machine," the Brain reasoned. "If she had related her story to the H.I.V.E., word would have gotten out about a remaining resistance in the city. If the people of Jump City knew there were still heroes out there, they would not bow so willingly to the power of the H.I.V.E. – even if Slade is using their legendary heroes in an attempt to make them."

"But if that's the case, then there is someone out there still fighting against us," the gorilla said. "The question is who."

"That question has already been answered," the Brain said. "Slade was unable to capture one of the Titans in his trap. The only hero remaining in the city is Rose Wilson – his daughter. She alone has the skills to defeat five H.I.V.E. villains by herself."

"Understandable, sir," Mallah mused, "but the Ravager would have killed all five of them. Why leave the girl alive?"

"To boast about her remarkable skill," the villain stated in his robotic voice. "She did so to toy with us, Mallah. Now, we will toy with her. Go and tell our guest that we have an assignment for her…"

* * *

Aqualad opened his eyes. Must have fallen asleep in the cell. Looking down, he saw Bumblebee curled up next to him, her chest rising and falling in a silent rhythm.

'Nice,' he though smirking. 'And here I thought you didn't like me…'

The aquatic hero's train of though was broken as he witnessed the massive visage of Monsieur Mallah coming down the hallway. This could be bad for all of them…

The hero breathed a small sigh of relief as the villain stopped next to the meditating Raven. "Too close," he whispered to himself.

Bee moaned in her sleep. "Mmm…I wanna ride the pony…" she muttered, leaving Lad with a rather amused look on his face.

'If I only knew…' he thought with a smile.

* * *

"Raven, the Brain has something he needs you to take care of," the gorilla said briskly.

With a start, the girl's eyes sprung open and her head turned to face the villain.

"Slade informed me that I am at your beck and call," she said matter-of-factly. "What's the 'something' you're talking about?"

"Seems an assailant attacked Private H.I.V.E.'s team up at…" Mallah caught himself before he mentioned the tower. Slade's brand of mind control had never been tested before. Without the all-so-important test subjects, no one knew just how well the Titan were under his control or what parts of their former lives might expose kinks in the control. "…At their location," he continued. "It is believed that the vigilante Rose Wilson is responsible for their deaths. You are to go to her apartment and subdue her. When that's done, you may take her to your master for…_reeducation_."

"Very well," Raven said as she got back to her feet. "You have an address?"

"Coming up as we speak," Mallah said, firmly. "Be careful, though – Ms. Wilson has a history of murdering those who stand in her way."

"Bullets and bravado don't bother me," the girl said, flatly. "There's always more than one way to make a tough girl crack."

Mallah allowed himself a small smile as the former Titan headed down the hallway in front of him. Slade had done something foolish: he had given the Brain one of the most impressively powerful heroes ever to grace the city's face. When the time came, he was almost certain that her allegiance could be swayed. It was only a matter of time…


	13. Black Rose

_BOOM!_

_BOOM!_

_BOOM!_

_BOOM!_

…_**Oh there ain't no rest for the wicked  
**__**Money don't grow on trees  
**__**I got bills to pay  
**__**I got mouths to feed  
**__**There ain't nothing in this world for free  
**__**No I can't slow down  
**__**I can't hold back  
**__**Though you know I wish I could  
**__**No, there ain't no rest for the wicked  
**__**Until we close our eyes for good…**_

_A grin comes to my face as I continue my way down the street. On a whim, I had scanned up to Starfire's iMix. Funny – never thought she'd listen to music like this. Probably Cyborg's doing. Showing her the world of Earth music starting with hip-hop. Maybe we can rock out to this when it's all over. Still, this song's got my number. There really is no rest for the wicked. Hopefully it won't taking my eyes closing for good for this shit to end. Been there twice. Angel of death's hoping third time's a charm. Fuck him. I'm writing this ending my way. Fuck all the bullshit that's happened so far. If the last three months had been a fanfic, I'd want whoever was sitting behind the computer beaten within an inch of his motherfuckin' life. This time, I get it my way . Until then…well, I can't slow down, and I can't hold back…_

_Though, you know, I sorta wish I could…_

_Anyway, I bring the car to a halt in front of the apartment complex. Time to find out what went down when the Titans did…_

* * *

The small apartment sat in darkness. If someone was trying to keep out of sight, they were doing a bang-up job. Huddled in the corner, her arms wrapped around her knees, the lone occupant slowly rocked back and forth in an attempt to make the bad dreams go away. How could they have done this to her? She was just a child. They had taken away her youthful playfulness and turned her into a killer – a bloodthirsty sociopath driven by a vicious concoction of drugs that made her a force to be reckoned with. But if anything was true it was the fact that the student can never be better that the master – especially when the master has made it his sworn duty to kill the student for failing to be as brutal and violent as he is.

Rose's head snapped up. She could hear footsteps coming down the hall. They were coming for her. They would take her away and turn her into a soulless drone for their own amusement. She wouldn't go down like that. She couldn't…

Getting up slowly from the floor, her eyes were trained on the door. Her finger gripped the trigger. All she needed was to know where they were. No one she trusted was behind that door. Just wait for it…

KNOCK! KNOCK!

Her eyes narrowed. Knocking on Heaven's motherfucking door…

* * *

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

_I dive out of the way as the armor-piercing rounds rip through the door. FUCK! So much for a pleasant visit. Willing to bet I'm not gonna see her tits this time. Honestly, I can understand the shit that must be running through her mind at this point of time. I really do. Right now, however, I'm just pissed off that she opened up on me._

"SHIT! FUCK! Son of a monkey's asshole!" Logan shouted as he got back up from the floor. He knew the shots weren't over. He could hear the footsteps from inside heading towards the door. As the knob twisted, he pressed himself up against the side of the wall. Here he would wait, wait for the moment he saw that little minx's head poke out into the hallway. Wouldn't take long…there it is. Time to play.

* * *

Rose screamed as her feet left the floor. Whoever or whatever had hit her had enough strength to shove her back into her own apartment. The two crashed to the ground with a massive THUD. As she shook the stars from her eyes, Rose could feel a hand making a move towards her gun. Quickly, she pulled it up over her head as she fought to get her feet under the attacker's chest and push him off. For the moment, she took the upper hand and rolled over onto her stomach in an attempt to crawl out from underneath the assailant. No luck. She gasped in horror as two hands pinned her upper body to the floor. Squirming with all her might, she found herself unable to break free. That's when she heard the voice:

"You know, there's this amazing device they put in doors now. It's called a peephole. Try using it sometime!"

The girl's jaw hit the floor – not too far to travel since she was already down there to begin with. Still, the stunned expression on her face left her vulnerable. Good thing there was at least one person still on her side…

Rose rolled back over as she felt the pressure ease up off of her. Looking up, she recognized the face even in the dim light coming from the hallway.

"No fuckin' way," she uttered. "It's…it's impossible…"

"Hey, I've done the impossible before," Logan said, smirking. "Twice, if memory serves me correctly. So, what the big dea-!"

The hero was cut off as Rose embraced him, her face buried in his shoulder. He couldn't see it, but the tremors running through her body and the heavy breathing told him she was crying. Couldn't blame her – the fear she had for her father had caused her to abandon the Titans in their time of need. She hated herself for it, but there were something that make even the hardest fall apart. Slade's presence was Rose's trigger, the one thing that turned her from a trained killer into a frightened young girl in a blink of an eye. With nothing else to do, the Titan simply stood in silence until the tremors stopped and Rose lifted her head.

"God, Garfield," she said, quietly. "I thought you were dead…"

"So did I for a while," Logan said, just as quietly. "Still here, though. Guess I should make the best of it."

Rose looked down at the floor as she backed away from the Titan. "I'm sure you've heard what's happened to the Titans," she said, sadly. "…And what I did when they got caught."

_By her tone, she's expecting me to rip her a new asshole for abandoning her friends in their time of need. If I didn't know what it was like to be trained to kill against my will, I might have done just that. As for now, it's just about survival – the survival of me and mine…and if I'm gonna get that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, I need her to help me. First, though, I gotta get her back in the right state of mind. Here goes two episodes of __**Intervention **__and half a dozen hostage negotiation movies. Like Sigmund fuckin' Freud…_

"Rose, I'm not gonna say whether or not what you did was wrong…fuck it. It _was_ wrong, and the both of us know it," Logan said, shaking his head. "No use sugarcoating shit when it's all gonna taste the same. The skinny of it is you fucked up – and you wouldn't be the first. The king of bad timing and bad judgment can tell you what's what – and what I'm saying is that it ain't over 'till it's over. Get back on your feet, push onward, and fuck up everyone who stands in the way of your goal. Granted, it's not the most prestigious plan, but it's worked out pretty well for me so far."

The Titan placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. With a slight squeeze, he smiled at her. "You follow?" he asked.

Rose nodded very so slightly. "Yeah…" she muttered. "Just keep going…and going…and going…"

* * *

_I move quick. My arms dart out to catch Rose as she falls backwards. As I pull her to me, I get the whiff of 151 right in my face. Damn, she can pound that shit back. Her tanked state would set a Breathalyzer on fire right now. Poor kid did what just about anyone who knew they fucked up big had done – gotten totally shitfaced. Had a good get up and go when I got into the apartment, but the adrenaline's worn off. She's dead weight in my arms. Great. Just what I fuckin' needed…_

_Hey…what the fuck's that chanting…_


	14. Shadows Of The Past

"AZARATH METRION ZINTHOS!"

_Now that's something I've heard many times before. Too bad it's coming from the opposite side this time…_

Logan hit the floor and covered Rose with his body as the wall of the apartment was torn from the face of the building.

"Like King motherfuckin' Kong," he muttered to himself.

_Like usual, Raven wasted little time looking for her target. Since I'd wiped out most of the individuals who had crossed my path, I doubt it was for me. Rose, on the other hand, was the prime candidate for termination. Sorry, Rae – not planning on losing any heroes today…including you…_

Raven grunted as a recliner struck her full on from the depths of the ruined apartment. As she recomposed herself, she could barely make out a figure taking off out the door with a load on its' shoulders.

_Don't plan on losing Raven, but I figure I'll have to rough her up a bit if I wanna stay in the game. I hit the stairs like a man possessed, skipping two, three – hell, the entire floor if need be. Gotta get back to the Cy-Car. Gotta lose Raven somehow and keep Rose from falling into the H.I.V.E.'s hands. Or Slade's. Either way's not too fuckin' pretty, and neither boast a good outlook for career advancement. What's that mean? I have no goddamn clue. It's just bad, alright?! Trust me on this one, okay?_

_Anyway, I kick out the front door of the apartment building. FUCK! Think I just broke something…Nope. Guess not. Or the shit's already healed. Maybe. Hell, I don't even really know anymore. As long as I can move, I'm gonna keep going. Rose's muttering incoherently on my shoulder. Probably something about bad feelings. Check. Bad feelings abound right now. Nothing like a possessed sorceress on your ass to drop your morale like a brick._

_I open the back door to the Cy-Car. I toss Rose in on the open seat. Sweet dreams, kid. Try not to puke all over the place. I'm in the driver's seat. Key twists. Gears shift. Logan and company gone…_

Raven growled as she watched the car take off down the road. Whoever had been in the apartment had pulled her target from her grasp. At least, for the moment. Quickly, she raised a hand to her communicator.

"This is Raven," she said, coldly. "I need backup. Target's on the move."

"Soldiers are on their way," the Brain's voice came over the intercom. "Do not let Ms. Wilson or her hero escape at all cost."

"Gladly," the sorceress said as a dark smile crept over her face.

* * *

_I take a look in the rearview as I take another hard right. Raven's not following me. Doesn't mean shit, though. She could be waiting around any corner with something that'll make my life just that more difficult. Another hard right. Rose's bouncing around the backseat like the professor from Flubber. Yeah, yeah, I know – outdated reference. Sue me. Not quite all right in the head. Little insane in the brain. That's fine. Need to be unhinged to do the shit I gotta do to get this city out of Slade's fucking hands. One more right…_

_SHIT! The Cy-Car screeches to a halt as I slam my foot down on the brake. Maybe I should have taken that left turn at Albuquerque…_

The driver's side door to the Cy-Car opened as Logan stepped out to greet the two armored vehicles that now blocked his path. Armed H.I.V.E. soldiers were stationed around the vehicle, waiting for their chance to attack.

"Well, if this just doesn't beat all," the Titan muttered to himself as he took in the scene in front of him. Maybe if he got back in the car and took off in reverse…

CRUNCH! That plan soon faded from Logan's mind as the twisted wreckage of a billboard crashed to the ground behind him, boxing him in. The hero shook his head, chuckling weakly.

"See you finally caught up," he muttered to himself as Raven touched down near the soldiers. The former Titan, however, seemed to be in no mood for games."

"Attention, asshole," she shouted, her red eyes narrowing. "You have something that belongs to me. Hand it over, and I promise I'll make it quick. You jerk me around, and I'll make this last three days. I'll even set up a blood transfusion to keep you alive."

_Well, Rae's taken Slade's mind control pretty well. Got a kinda spark that makes a man scream for his momma. But I got something else. Let's see how far that'll take me…_

Raven shook her head as the figure in front of her ignored her demand, instead choosing to open up the back door of the car.

"Idiots never learn," she muttered. Looking back at the soldiers, she gave them a cold glare. "I'm going in," she told them. "If he moves, shoot him…and you better not shoot me."

"Rose…ROSE!"

The girl's eyes snapped open as a hand slapped her across the face.

"FUCK!" she shouted, holding her face and her head in unison. "Oh shit…God, I wish I was dead…"

"That's gonna be a hard fucking fact of reality in about five seconds if you don't move your ass!" Logan said, quickly. That's when he heard it…

"AZARATH…"

_Rose looks up at me with troubled eyes. She doesn't know how close to death she is. Like to tell her, but I just don't have the time…_

"…METRION…"

_Quickly, I wrap my arms around Rose's chest. Her breast press against mine. If you're wondering why I mentioned this, then you're probably not a guy. Anyway, I brace my foot against the side of the car. Got one chance. Don't blow it, asshole…_

"ZINTOS!"

_Rose falls on top of me as the Cy-Car goes sailing off into the breeze. She's still pretty out of it. My eyes close as I watch Cyborg's baby shatter into a million little pieces. Fuck, he is gonna be pissed. Got an ace in the hole this time, though. I can blame Raven for this one. That oughta work. He likes her…well, likes her enough not to throttle her when he finds out. That's a big word right there: __**when**__. Not thinking in the negative on that aspect. Gonna save the Titans. Gonna destroy the H.I.V.E. Gonna stop Slade. Not necessarily in that order…_

* * *

"Garfield, what the fuck's going on?" Rose asked, confusion set into her face.

"Oh, I figured we needed a weekend away from the kids," Logan said, smiling. "You know, a little of this, little of that…YOU NEED TO GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!"

Getting back to their feet, the girl let out a cry as she saw Raven advancing on their position. "God, she…she can't even see us!" she said. "She doesn't know who we are!"

"Then I'll make her remember!" Logan said, quickly. "Rose, you have to go! These guys want you and I'm not sure exactly what they'll do with you, so if you don't wanna find out, I suggest you move – and NOW!"

Rose glanced nervously at Raven, then back at Logan. Guess this was a good a time as any…

Logan's eyes widened as the girl planted a kiss on his lips. Not just a little peck, mind you – a full orthodontic exam, if you catch the drift.

_What the…Well, she sure is grateful. Kinda glad Raven's not gonna remember us well enough to remember this._

_I hope._

"I'll be at the Tower," Rose whispered as her pulled her lips from Logan's. "Get back in one piece, all right?"

"Something like that," the Titan said, grinning. "Get moving. I'll draw her attention."

Rose nodded. With everything her body could muster, she took off down a side alley.

'Logan, whatever's keeping you going…don't lose it,' she thought as she disappeared into the shadows.

* * *

Raven gritted her teeth as she watched her prey wriggle from her grasp. Now, all of her attention was focused on the little green man in front of her, the one who let her get away. He would pay…oh, he would pay…

_My body hugs the ground as Raven hurls a stoplight at me. Not stop __**sign **__– stop__**light**__. Thought I might make that one a little bit clearer. She's not happy. Never been happy. Well, not in a way that you'd notice. Her idea of fun is to sit in the dark and read from her books. Never joined us for video games, fight with her hand and tooth to watch movies with the rest of us, wasn't there for the time I dressed in drag and did the hula…long story. Tell ya some other time I'm not getting my ass kicked. Where was I? Oh yeah…_

_So, I'm flying back into a brick wall, right? There's a semi coming for my head. Wait – did I just say there's a __**semi**__ coming for my head?! FUCK! Can't move out of the way that fast. Who am I, Sonic the fucking Hedgehog? Still, I gotta try. Not sure how well whatever's inside of me would be against a full-body burn and the breaking of about 205 of my bones out of the usual 206. Wait a sec…I feel strange…Oh shit…_

KABOOM! The semi smashed through the wall of a local grocery store – precisely where Logan had been stand

* * *

ing moments before. Raven grinned evilly as the trashed truck erupted into flames.

"So long, hero," she muttered to herself.

"You talking about my dick again?" A voice projected out from behind her. Whirling around, her hair whipping like a cyclone, the former hero growled as she took in the sight of her enemy.

_Aww, she's so cute when she's angry. Now that she's royally pissed, I'm practically getting a boner. Still, my mind's focused on the fight…That's a lie. I'm more focused on what the hell happened a moment ago. Strange. It almost felt like I shape shifted into something – something fast. But that's not possible. The Black Hand of Doom – Mento cured my mutation on a genetic level. I couldn't even morph into a wombat if I wanted to. Not quite sure I'd need to do that in the first place, but if I didn't I wouldn't be able to do it. Still…_

_Shit…I'm rambling again. I need my head checked and stat…_

_Funny. I've been standing here for about…oh, ten…fifteen seconds now, and Rae's not even made a move. She's staring at me. Big surprise. I'm not quite that interesting to look at. Like a moss-covered Ewok. But for some reason, she just can't take her eyes off of me. What the hell's bouncing around in her skull…_

* * *

Raven stood steadfast. Her legs felt like they had been encased in concrete. Every single muscle in her body was begging, pleading for her to move forward and finish this clown. But something in her mind was stopping her. She couldn't…why? Why couldn't she do it? It was like her mind was hesitating on what to do next. She had never hesitated on her decisions in her life – that much at least she knew. So what was stopping her this time? Couldn't be…no…no…maybe it was…

_Her heart._ Something in her heart was stopping her. Emotions which welled deep within her being. Why? How could she feel emotions for someone she'd never even met? Or had she…

'God…' she thought as she swore she could smell synapses in her brain frying, 'What's wrong with me?

* * *

_Rae's pretty stone-faced, but her eyes give everything away. That little twitch, her irises expanding and contracting, the way her chest heaves up and down bouncing those two reasons for living like a paddleball…Shit. Gotta stop thinking like that. Goddamn pervert's what I'm becoming. Then again, I haven't seen any real action in quite some time. _

_I stifle a laugh as I see the confusion on her face. Whatever she felt for me was fighting for control over Slade's conditioning. This is the break I'm looking for. I can't beat her – not without killing her. Not now. I need to go. One more thing…_

Raven's eyes widened as Logan got face-to-face with her. As much as she wanted to strike out at her enemy, she somehow felt at ease in his presence.

"Raven, what you're feeling right now, all the confusion, all the doubt…keep feeling it," he said, smirking.

The girl gasped as the green man kissed her on the lips. That response only served to amuse him more.

"See you soon," he said, pausing for a moment before taking off down the street. Raven watched him as he went, her eyes unable to break away from his visage as he headed towards the shoreline. Suddenly, she let out a shout as her communicator squealed.

"Raven, what the hell are you doing?" Mallah's voice came in. "You're letting our guest get away! Kill him!"

"I…I can't" the girl said, quietly.

"Raven…kill him," the gorilla repeated.

Slowly, as if in a dream, Raven raised her hand. Her eyes tracked Logan as he headed for the water. Her eyes closed as she conjured up her ethereal power. Try as she might, the power just wouldn't come.

"I'm…sorry…" she said, a single tear running down her cheek. In defeat, she dropped her hand back down to her side.

"You…disappoint me, Raven," Mallah said, his voice grave. "You give me little choice. Time for you to see how this job is supposed to be done…"

* * *

Monsieur Mallah cut his communicator off as he stared down at the streets below. As much as he liked the Titan's new attitude, the Brain hadn't been convinced enough to let her go without some kind of surveillance.

The gorilla growled as he shouldered his RPG. Good thing he was here to clean up the mess. Finger to the trigger, and let it fly…

* * *

_I'm near the edge of the waterline when I hear the sound. That unmistakable sound of a rocket-propelled grenade heading my way. My legs pump even harder as I make a mad dash for the pier. Running out of time. My feet leave the wooden deck as I hear the explosion. _

_Oh shit…_


	15. No Rest For The Wicked

KABOOM!

_Kids, you should never play with explosives. They pack a punch like a Taser to the…well, you should have gotten the drift by now. Getting a little redundant. Not a good sign. Patterns get ya killed. Remember that, kiddos._

_Anyway, I hit the water hard. SLAP! Like a fat kid belly flop off the high dive. Damn, that stings! Better than being a bowl of meat pudding I'd say. Holding my breath, I strike out for the island. Twenty bucks says Rose beats me there and then asks me what took me so long. Man, I think I'm starting to hate my life…_

* * *

Raven's eyes were downcast as Monsieur Mallah landed on the ground mere feet from her position. Whatever had been welling up inside her seemed to have passed, but the damage had already been done.

"You pathetic little whelp!" the gorilla said, growling as he eyed the young girl. "Couldn't even dispatch a single hero? What's the matter with you?!"

Mallah was furious. Despite his near-perfect annihilation of the rogue hero, the H.I.V.E. had lost sight of Rose Wilson. His master would not be pleased at the turn of events, and the henchman was not about to face the brunt of his wrath alone.

"Just wait until Slade hears about this," he muttered to Raven. "Guarantee you'll live just long enough to regret that mistake."

The villain was so furious that the next words from the girl's mouth almost fell on deaf ears – and if he hadn't been more attentive, they would have.

"Garfield…Garfield…Logan…"

Mallah's blood ran cold as he heard those words come from Raven's mouth. His heart pounded as he sought an answer to his questions.

"Raven, what did you just say?" he asked, his eyes as wide as saucer plates.

The girl looked at the gorilla, an expression of confusion spread across her face. "I-I don't know," she stammered, shaking her head. "It's just…something in my head…"

Monsieur Mallah remained silent. His heart, however, was running a mile a minute. 'She wouldn't have mentioned Logan's name for the hell of it,' he thought to himself. 'I couldn't get a good look at the target, but I thought he looked familiar. If Garfield Logan is still alive…then Slade's control over the Titans may not be as strong as he thinks. Then again, not too many people could live through the blast I just delivered. Still, the Brain needs to know – and Raven needs to be watched carefully.'

"Raven, we must return to the H.I.V.E.," he said, quickly. "I fear a…_situation_ has arisen."

"Very well," Raven said as she took to the skies. Still, the visage of that face remained burned into her mind. Who was he? How did he know her? What's the link between them? Most importantly, why did his mere presence make her feel so…_alive?_

* * *

"What took you so long, Superman?"

_Fucking bitch…Called that one in the air…_

"Fuck Superman," Logan said as Rose grabbed his hand and pulled him from the water, "I feel more like Aquaman right about now."

"You mean you're in way over your head and your powers aren't worth shit?" the girl asked with a half-smile.

"Something like that," Logan said, smirking back at her. "Come on, let's get inside. I'm wetter than the drunk chick at a frat boys' party."

As Logan passed her on his way to the elevator, Rose chuckled to herself. Now that had been a lame one…

* * *

"So, the Titans were back out the door minutes after I signed off?" Logan said as the doors to the elevator opened.

"'Fraid so," Rose said as they entered the living room of the tower. "No days off in the life of a hero – unless you're dead, of course."

"Well, I got three months more than the average Joe," Logan said as he stripped off the top of his outfit and rung it out. "Hmm…wonder if I can write that off when it's time to do our taxes…"

Rose stopped in the middle of the room. She could smell the scent of at least two bodies lying in the vicinity. A small smile crept to her face as she pieced it all together.

"So," she said, leaning up against the back of the couch, "cleaning house, eh?"

Logan laughed. "You could say that," he said. "Took out Private H.I.V.E., too. Better be careful, though – one of them I only knocked out. Probably came to some time ago. Keep your eyes peeled and your asshole puckered."

"Which one?" the Titan asked. "Two in the living room, two outside, and…"

"Wait a sec," the green man interrupted her. "Did you just say_ two_ outside?"

Rose raised an eyebrow, a quizzical expression on her face. "Yeah," she said, cautiously. "H.I.V.E. and some chick. Probably a newbie."

Logan looked troubled as he tossed his shirt on the counter. "No, that's not right," he said, quietly. "I choked the girl out and left her in Robin's room. As for H.I.V.E….well, he took a long walk off a short pier. Certain of that – I'm the one who lead them here. But that girl…that wasn't me."

"Then who?" Rose asked. "Seems to me not many of these H.I.V.E. kids are suicidal…unless they plan on fucking with you, of course."

"I love you, too," the shape shifter said, smiling. "Still, something's not right. Maybe I'll get the answers I need from someone who's on the inside."

"And just how are you planning that?" the girl asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"With a little touch-tone music," Logan said as he pulled the cell phone from his pocket.

_Well, isn't that nice. Fucking iPhones can call the International Space Station but they sure ain't waterproof. No big, though. I pop out the memory unit from the ruined phone and blow into it. Just like one of those old Nintendo cartridges. If you're wondering how I know about those things, just trust me – even a guy like me likes the classics. Rose's trying hard to keep a straight face as I huff and puff like the Big Bad Wolf. Still, it gets the job done. Now, I just need an interface for my database…_

_Hmm, poet and I don't even know it…_

"Rose, you got clearance for the main computer?" Logan asked.

"Yeah, why?" the girl responded.

"'Cause I need to make a call," he said, holding up the unit.

The Titan chuckled to herself as she strolled over to the computer. "Whatever floats your boat," she said as she punched in a few keys. Within seconds she had access to the mainframe. "All yours, Mr. Wizard," she added as she stepped away from the console with a bow.

"Cute. Real cute," Logan said, shaking his head as he popped the memory unit to the computer. Within seconds, he had access to the phone's internal memory.

"What are you doing?" Rose asked, leaning over his shoulder.

"I'm using the phone's SIM card to get me access to the H.I.V.E.," Logan said matter-of-factly.

"How the hell are you gonna do that?" the girl asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Simple," the hero said. "This is Kitty's phone. Took it from her when I was busy trying to figure out what the fuck was going down in the city. She and her dad Killer Moth have contact with the H.I.V.E. on a regular basis. Problem is that their modes of communication send out a specific frequency that can penetrate the security system of the H.I.V.E. and block out anyone else. I figure I dial the number using this SIM and I'm home free."

"And if you're wrong?" Rose asked.

Logan sighed. "Then I'm fucked," he said, dejectedly. "That means I'll have to go to the H.I.V.E. in person and ask my questions."

"Bet they'll love that," the girl said, teasingly. "They already saw the shit you pulled on the rooftop. They'll be screaming for an air raid the second you step through that door."

"Don't get my hopes up," Logan said as he made the call. "It's ringing…BOOYA! I'm in!"

_I grin as I wait for the pickup. Paging Mr. Lad – there's an unstoppable bastard for you on Line 2…_

* * *

Lad jerked up as he heard the cell vibrate off the chain in his pocket. The ringer was off – luckily the Titans hadn't patted them all down when they unceremoniously dumped them off at the H.I.V.E. Still, whoever was calling had managed to bypass security. His brow furrowed as he pulled the phone from his pocket. Could be Rose. She could hack the system…maybe.

The man let out a groan as he read Kitty's name on the phone. The rest of the team was still sound asleep as they waited for their fate, so the groan was a low one. Not the person he wanted to talk to, but he might as well indulge in a little trash talking one last time before the end.

"This is Aqualad," he said quietly into the phone.

"Lad, it's me."

The aquatic hero's eyes widened as he hear the voice on the other end of the phone. "Fuck me…" he muttered in astonishment.

"Sorry, you're not exactly my type," Logan said.

Lad sat up a little straighter and shifted Bumblebee's weight off of him. "BB, what the fuck?" he asked in a hushed whisper. "Jesus, man – I watched you die!"

"Well someone better send a memo to my brain, 'cause I'm still here," Logan said. "Still confused, too."

"Well that's normal," Lad said, allowing himself a small smile. "Why the hell you calling on Kitty's cell? Better question: is _she_ still alive?"

"For the moment," Logan quipped. "Couldn't kill her. Might be getting soft."

"Or you still got whatever makes you Beast Boy inside of you," Lad added.

"Speaking of shit inside me," the hero said, "when I woke up in the medical wing, I took a syringe full of something to counteract the pain from my burns. Next thing I know, I'm back to being Gambling' Man Logan. Furthermore, I seem to be fuckin' invincible. Been shot and nearly blown up half a dozen times and I'm still unscathed. Fuck's happening to me, Lad?"

"A syringe?" the Titan asked, puzzled. "Well, I don't know, but…wait – did you take that syringe from the table near the computer?"

"Yeah, why?" Logan asked.

"Oh shit," Aqualad said.

"What?" Logan asked, quickly. "Tell me, man! Every time you've said 'Oh shit' recently it hasn't been a good thing!"

"No, no, no," Lad said, his voice calm and collected. "It's alright…hell, I guess it worked…"

"What worked?" the green man asked.

Aqualad laughed. "BB, you ain't gonna believe this," he said, "but the syringe you injected yourself with was part of Cyborg's experiment. Congrats – you just injected a colony of highly synthesized nanobots into your body."

"Nanobots?" Logan asked, stunned. "You mean like the same shit Slade pumped into our bodies that nearly tore us the fuck apart molecule by molecule?"

"Similar," Lad explained. "See, Cyborg was able to extract some of the disabled robots from Robin's bloodstream. He decided to try and replicate the project with the hopes of using them to heal people in the event of an emergency. Of course, he wasn't quite ready to test them out when you turned into that crispy critter. Still, you've proven that they work – at least, for a time."

"So eventually these things are gonna run out of power, right?" Logan asked.

"Exacta-mundo," Lad said, sighing. "Can't say when they'll fail though, so don't take any unnecessary risks."

"Sure," the Titan said.

"You're planning on something risky, aren't ya?"

"Don't know. Would you consider a one-man assault on the H.I.V.E. Academy to break out a team of captured heroes risky?"

Lad laughed again. "Maybe for anybody but you," he said. "Just be careful how much damage you take. The more you get banged up, the harder those little guys work and the faster you run on empty."

"Gotcha," Logan said. "Say, is there anything else I should know about these nanobots – since I am the official guinea pig and all? Anything about super speed or quicker reflexes?"

"Hmm, not that I know of," Aqualad said. "Just that Cy was testing to see if the bots could repair damage on a genetic level."

_Genetic level…well, isn't that quaint…_

"Alright, nice to know," the hero said. "Listen, I'm gonna call your phone one more time. Gonna leave a message. If shit gets dicey, play it out loud so everyone can hear it."

"Why?" Lad asked.

"Trust me, it'll work," Logan said.

"Shit, I've trusted your ass this long," the aquatic hero said. "No use in stopping now. Just…watch your ass, man. You know what they say: Third time's a charm."

"Planning on it," Logan said. "Late."

* * *

Rose stood in silence as Logan hung up the phone for the second time.

"Well, that's part one of my plan complete," the hero said, turning his attention back to the girl.

"How many parts does your plan got?" she asked.

"You'll know as soon as I do," Logan said, flashing a smile. Then his face hardened. "Look, Rose," he began. "I know what you're feeling in regards to Slade, and no one can blame you for not wanting to fight him. Hell, if you hadn't run I'd be stumbling around aimlessly in the city like a target at a shooting gallery. Truth is, I don't want anyone else hurt today…well, outside of the people I'm planning to hurt. I just need a few things from you."

"Name it, and it's yours," Rose said, smiling.

"First off, I need to find the Titans," the shape shifter said. "I know you're afraid of Slade, but I just want you to find them. When you do, give me a holler. I'm gonna take one of the auxiliary communicators with me – Cyborg's got like a billion of 'em."

"Done," Rose said firmly. "What else?"

Logan grinned. "I'd like a look at your armory," he said.

Rose grinned back. "Somebody's looking to upgrade in the world," she laughed.

"More like burn it down," Logan said.

"Well, I think I can accommodate you," the girl said, beckoning him to her bedroom.

Logan just shook his head. "This could be really bad…or really good," he chuckled as he followed after her.


	16. Calm Before The Storm

"You seem troubled, Mallah," the Brain said as the gorilla made his way back into the headmaster's room. "The capture of Rose Wilson did not go as planned?"

"That may be the least of our worries," the villain said as he slumped his massive frame into his specially designed chair. "Raven's mental conditioning seems to be failing. I heard her utter Logan's name."

"LOGAN?!" the Brain's voice synthesizer raised in volume, denoting the level of stress in his response. "So, the child still has feelings for her dead team member. How cute."

"I don't think it's just his memory that's giving us a problem," the villain said.

"Explain, Mallah," the villain said.

The gorilla sighed. This would not end well.

"I think Garfield Logan may still be alive."

A moment of silence passed between the two villains.

"I feared that the timing was too perfect," the Brain said. "Even so, I see no reason to worry. If Logan truly is alive, he is but one man against a school of trained villains. He will be hunted, and he will fall."

Mallah mused, his large head resting on his equally large fist. 'I truly hope you're right, Brain,' he thought to himself. 'I hope you're right.'

* * *

The water turned off as Argent stepped from the shower. Her body felt much better after a long soak in the hot water. Sure beat the freezing rain that had drenched her in bucket loads when she waited on the streets of London for Mad Mod…waited for the chance to save him…

The Titan closed her eyes, allowing one single tear to escape from the corner. Beast Boy had been a hero up to the very end. Even his methods, though questionable, had kept his friends from falling to the power of both Mento and the H.I.V.E. Strange, though. The Titans had yet to call any of the heroes back in regards to the place and time of Logan's funeral. Then again, they may simply be taking time to process the grief of losing him after coming so far together. No reason to bother them for now.

The girl quickly dried her hair and slipped into something a little more comfortable. Instead of dropping all the heroes off back at their regular locations, the Herald had taken them to a small villa in Europe. Fitting place as any – it was his, after all. As Argent stepped into the living room, she saw many of the other members of the extended family sitting quietly. Small conversation here and there, but the place was rather dead…The Titan shook her head. 'Dead' was not the word she really wanted in her mind as of the moment.

"So, what's new?" she asked, leaning over the top of the couch.

"Not much," Pantha said, shaking her head. "No word from Titans so far. Might be time we give them a call."

"I wouldn't advise it," the Herald said, leaning up against the wall of the kitchen. "Let's leave them to grieve for the moment. We'll do the same."

Argent was about to make a response when an ominous tone emanated from one of the communicators on the table. Quickly, she hopped over the couch and picked it up. Popping it open, her eyebrows rose up.

"A text message?" she said, stunned. This caught the attention of the other heroes in the vicinity.

"What's it say?" Kole asked.

"It says: 'Turn on the news. – Rose'," the girl said.

Without hesitation, Pantha grabbed the remote and turned the TV over to CNN. The broadcast was already in progress as the screen flickered to life:

"…at this time. Sources have yet to determine where the ominous message from Slade originated from, but it is clear at this point and time that the mercenary and the infamous H.I.V.E. Academy for Villains have created a stranglehold around the people of Jump City. Disturbing eyewitness accounts have also revealed that the Teen Titans, once valiant protectors of the city, have turned or been turned to the side of villainy…"

"Mother of God," Hotspot said, his jaw down to his ankles

"_Dios Mios," _Pantha cried, holding a hand to her mouth. It was then that the heroes heard something that none of them ever expected to hear again:

"…Other eyewitness accounts have confirmed that the green-skinned individual that terrorized Jump City three months ago as well as engaging in a plethora of lewd and violent behavior yesterday afternoon has returned, though no one can be sure exactly where his loyalties may lie…"

Argent was able to tear her eyes away from the screen long enough to read the follow-up message on the communicator. Within the message were the words that put a smile on her face:

HE'S ALIVE – ROSE.

"Bloody hell," she said to herself. "There goes the neighborhood."


	17. School Of Higher Devasation

Slade's fingers tapped on the arm of his chair as he reviewed footage from the earlier attack on the Titans East. His lips curled into a smile behind his mask as he watched the team systematically crush their opponents. Like a dream.

"Perfect," he muttered to himself. "Perhaps I won't kill them after all this is said and done. They're far too talented."

The mercenary had been keeping up on the local news. The city stood in fear of him and what he could do with his newly-assigned team. Still, the mentioning of the violent vigilante supposedly seen in the streets had caused his pace to quicken. Perhaps the unstoppable Garfield Logan was really as they said he was.

"Don't fail me, Logan – if that is you," the mercenary said to himself as the screens shut off, leaving him in the darkness. "I want the pleasure of killing you all to myself."

The merc sat in his chair, lost in thought for the moment.

"This city's been too quiet," he said. "Time to up the ante."

With a swift movement, Slade pressed a button on his chair and watched as his army of Sladebots sprung to life.

"Fan out through the city," he ordered. "Destroy everything that comes your way."

Without a sound, the automatons filtered out of the tower like spiders towards their prey.

"Let the revolution begin," he mused.

* * *

The gravel crunched under his feet as he stood before the stage of history. A dark trench coat covered his body, hiding the surprises he held within. Gone were the sneakers and the tight-fitting uniform – riot gear and black leather boots were the new 'vigilante' fad. The air settled in quietly as the cameras began to zoom in on the target. Wouldn't be long before the alarms went off. Might just skip that part and turn them on personally.

BRTT! BRTT! Sparks shot from the ruined security devices as a loud air siren replaced the void of silence.

"Knock, knock, motherfuckers," he said.

_My name is Garfield Logan. Three months ago I died. Died again yesterday. Today…today I'm planning a one-man war against the H.I.V.E. with enough ammo and weaponry to topple the entire country of Iraq. Funny how life works. Time to show those snot-nosed little punks down at the H.I.V.E. the New Age Bible. Let them read from the Book of Logan. Just has one verse. Reads as such:_

_**THOU SHALL NOT FUCK WITH GARFIELD LOGAN**_

_It's the fuckin' gospel. Time to spread the good word among the simple folk…_

* * *

The young villains of the H.I.V.E. had their attention ripped away from their studies as the building erupted into a wave of noise and flashing red light.

"WARNING! WARNING! PERIMETER BREACH! PERIMETER BREACH!" The automated message repeated over and over again. Some seemed frightened. Others seemed almost elated. A chance to protect the H.I.V.E. from a foolish invader? Taken, no question asked. It'd be a pleasure.

Some pleasures can be rather painful…

* * *

Raven's eyes opened as the commotion worked her way. She had been on the roof of the H.I.V.E., deep in mediation. She was trying to find the meaning for her breakdown earlier on the mission, the meaning for what that little man had said to her. Try as she might, the answer didn't come, and whatever she did manage to pry loose from her mind gave her little solace. Still, she knew fully aware that the Academy had an uninvited guest. Her hand went up to her communicator.

"Brain, what's the problem?" she asked.

"A small situation has arisen," the monotonous voice said. "It will be taken care of quickly. Report to the holding cells and wait for further instructions."

The girl opened her mouth to complain, but thought better of it. As much as she felt she should be down with the others protecting the H.I.V.E., her performance earlier would have made her a risk. If she couldn't kill a single green man, how could she deal with a legitimate threat?

"Yes, sir," she said, rather dejectedly as she got back to her feet. Looks like she was going to miss the party after all.

* * *

Feet hit the tiled floor of the H.I.V.E. as dozens of villains poured from their classrooms. The adrenaline level was sky high. No one knew exactly what waited on the other side of the door, but they were all ready to strike.

"You all ready?" one of them said. The rest cheered in unison. "Then let's do this!" the villain shouted, slamming down on the main door controls.

The giant metal doors groaned as the door slowly came to life, sliding open and bathing the young do-badders in the midday sun. Their bodies tensed. This was it…

Nothing. The front of the school lay barren. Whatever had tripped the alarm had long since disappeared.

"Dude, what a bummer," one of them said as the door closed back up. "Looks like we lost that one."

It was then that the groups of students heard a sound. A sound they had never heard before in all their years of villainy preparation. A bad sound.

_CLICK-CLICK._

"Don't you kids know you're supposed to remain seated until the hearse reaches the funeral home?"

_Eyes widen. Heads turn. Mouths open. Bowels empty. Pretty much standard fare for a group of wannabe bad guys who just found out they're about to be expelled…__**permanently.**__ I don't even wait for someone to point out the obvious. I'm in the H.I.V.E. Don't know how I got here? Well…ever hear of a back door? Anyway, my finger tightens down on the trigger. Time to make these kids wish they'd all played hooky today…_


	18. Eat Lead: The Return Of Garfield Logan

_RAT-A-TAT-TAT. RAT-A-TAT-TAT. The AK packs quite a punch. Enough of a kick that I have trouble standing still. Can't imagine the kind of damage it's doing to their bodies. Blood spurts, voices scream, frightened sheep running every which way to escape the rain of death I'm pumping down from the heavens. Only one door in front of them, and it just closed back up. Like shooting fish in a barrel. _

_Yeah, I know – y'all probably thinking, 'Wait – don't these guys have armor or something like that to protect them?' Well, sure they do. They just don't wear it to class. Ooops. Well, look on the bright side, kids – you'll have a perfect excuse to miss the pop quiz. _

_The screams start dying down as the group in front of me reverts into corpses. Those who managed to escape…fuck, who am I kidding? No one escaped. They all wandered into the path of the bullets. Let the bodies hit the FLOOR!_

_Thanks, 'Stage'. _

_I can hear more feet rushing down the stairs. Combination of young punkasses and H.I.V.E. soldiers I'd guess. I drop the clip from the AK, slap in another one, and lose the trench coat. Need all the room to move in this fight. My hand goes down to my side. Aqualad's words are still burning in my head. Can't tell how long those nanobots got left. Need to keep myself from getting mutilated. I flip the switch. I grin as the energy shield springs to life. Thanks, Rose – now I feel like fuckin' Master Chief. Well, I think I still got a bit of the Chelios left in my tank as well. Good thing – I'm gonna need every goddamn ounce of it…_

The collective THUDS of the H.I.V.E. soldiers hitting the main floor set off a new wave of gunfire. The air heated up as laser blasts ripped through across the floor. But this time, things were going the wrong way for the villains. Many of the blasts were passing by their target. Those that did…well, they seemed to simply dissolve in mid-air. Too bad the armor-piercing rounds Logan had just slipped into the weapon didn't just stop at the soldiers' front. No – they continued all the way through and out the back.

_I feel like the Terminator. Shield's holding up. Still got an 80% capacity. Good. Gonna need it. Next wave's coming. AK's empty. I toss it aside. Not about to lug around a 12 pound beating stick for the hell of it – especially when I've just gained access to the H.I.V.E.'s own devastating weaponry. Boots hit the pavement as I scoop up one of the laser rifles. Hell – better make it two…_

_Screams of panic and pain fly from the little kids' lips as I meet their advances with white-hot death. Bodies flying everywhere, death coming like an F-117 – the stuff of legends. Takes only thirteen seconds before silence echoes out over the hallowed halls. I take a second to survey my handiwork. Heh. Eat your heart out, Matt Hazard. _

_The rifles drop to the floor. I slowly begin my ascend up to the next level. Gotta watch the blood – don't wanna slip and break my neck. Not like that'll do too much to me right now – just the kind of inconvenience I don't need. Next level, loading as we speak…_

* * *

Raven's head turned sharply as she watched more soldiers hurry down the corridor past the holding cells. Whatever was going on was big enough to put the whole Academy on high alert, and she was stuck here babysitting a team of useless heroes.

"Some fuckin' respect they have for me," she muttered to herself as she flopped back down on the bench. "Slade had better fix this."

"Or what?"

The girl's eyes darted over to Aqualad, who glared at her from the opposite side of the energy shield. It was his voice that had responded to her remark.

"What do you mean?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

"What if Slade doesn't choose to fix this problem?" the aquatic hero asked. "What do you plan to do about it, hmm? Make him?"

Raven chuckled softly to herself. "My master knows what is best for me and my team," she stated.

Aqualad crossed his arms over his chest. "Is that so?" he said. "Then why is it that you're here watching us twiddle our thumbs instead of being out in the city raining down death and destruction?"

"Because it's not time yet," the girl said, cocking her head to one side.

"Then when is it time?" Lad asked.

Raven opened her mouth. For a moment, it remained open, her eyes slowly pitching towards the ground as realization set in.

"You don't know, do you?" the hero asked, shaking his head. "Shame. Rae, have you ever once considered that you're just being used as a pawn in order for Slade to gain control of this city?"

"That's a lie!" the girl said, her eyes beginning to glow white with ethereal energy.

"I don't think it is," the boy said, shaking his head yet again. "You're a smart girl, Raven; you know what happens to pawns in a game of chess, right?"

The muscles in Raven's face twitched as she glared coldly at Aqualad. She did indeed know the answer to that question.

"Sometimes…sometimes the pawns must be sacrificed," she growled, her eyes returning to normal.

"Exactly." Aqualad smiled. 'Damn, I think I've broken through to her!' he thought to himself as he watched the girl run a hand through her dark hair. "So, what do you think now?"

Raven let out a sigh, and looked back at the hero – this time with a smile that froze his heart to ice. "I'm thinking that we won't be needing another Titan team after all," she purred.

* * *

_I just about halfway through the second floor when I hear the sound of more footsteps. Quaint. I pull the Eagles from my belt. Hope I got what it takes to hold these fuckers and get a clean shot…_

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

Soldier after villain after soldier fell before the might of the twin 50 cals. With a bullet about half an inch in diameter, the chance for catastrophic injury was high. The impact of such a bullet was enough to knock a rhino on its ass – let alone a couple of punks who thought they knew what it was to be a villain in Jump City. As much as they tried to fight back, everything they sent Logan's way disintegrated upon impact with his shield. Another wave, another matter of seconds, another pile of bodies left in his wake.

_Damn, I'm getting good at this. Wonder if it's all that shit coming back to me from the Doom Patrol days. Can't let it take me completely. I can't become __**him**__. If I do…well, then I know a little girl who can put me down professionally. Not there yet. Still go something left in me that makes me BB. Got a death grip on it, making sure I don't lose it here and now. Kinda hoping I don't strangle it in the process. Time will tell…_

_I'm about to ascend the stairs to the final floor – where the Brain is waiting – when I hear a voice I didn't except coming from the back…_

"GARFIELD MOTHEFUCKING LOGAN!!"

_I winch as the shriek hits my ears. Shit, maybe I shoulda killed her after all. I look at the Eagles in my hands. Always time to rectify that mistake…Nah. I drop the guns to the ground. Bullet's too good for her. Do this the old-fashioned way…_

Logan turned slowly. He grimaced at the sight that stood before him.

"Kitty," he muttered.

* * *

The villainous girl stood before the Titan. Gone was her evening dress and stilettos from earlier; Now, she stood in black tank top complete with black cargos and black boots. Sarah Connor, eat your heart out.

"Hey there, asshole," she said, her face covered in a twisted grin. "Did you forget about little old me?"

"I was trying to," Logan said, glaring back at her.

"Aww, too bad," the girl said. "Daddy picked me up at the club. Needless to say, he was very angry that you managed to play him like you did – and when Daddy gets angry, do you know what he does?"

"Call Dr. Phil?" the green man offered up.

"NO, ASSHOLE!" Kitty screeched. "HE GETS EVEN!"

_Fuck, bitch's off her meds. Hmm, wonder if she even had meds to begin with. Cheese fell off her cracker a long time ago. Guess what I'm trying to say here is this:_

_That's one crazy bitch…_

"Well," Kitty continued, doing what she could to recompose herself. "Daddy's on his way to kill you right now, but first he had me stop off at the local jail to…pick up an old friend…"

_I'm about to compose a smartass remark when something the size of a Mack truck slams into me from the side. I hit the floor hard and skid all the way into the wall. Fuck – energy shield's down. Double fuck – the transmitter's shot. Looks like I'm playing this game without pads._

_I flip over onto my back. Gotta get a good look at this fucker. Shit – just what I didn't need…_

Kitty laughed as Logan was once again hurled across the hallway. She was so happy to see her on again – off again boyfriend teach the little green man how to play nice.

"Oh, Logan," she said, cheerfully as he slammed against the opposite wall, "Fang has been waiting so long to get back out into the world and see all its' wonders – right after he kills your FUCKING ASS!" The girl practically did a jig as the half human/half spider closed in on the Titan's location. "So, Mr. Hotshot – what'cha gonna do now?"

Logan raised his head from his prone position. His face bore a grin that meant nothing but trouble for those who stood in his way.

"I think I'm gonna squash myself a bug," he growled, his eyes narrowing in rage.

_Let's do this…_


	19. Give Me A Hell, Give Me A Yeah

Elisa Silvia let out a scream as the horrific visage of Slade appeared before her. No, not the _real_ Slade – just his robotic counterpart. This one was just one of many that had begun their systematic destruction of Jump City block by block. This one seemed intent on ending the lives of her and her children. Quickly the woman wrapped her arms around her daughter and son as the robotic soldier hefted a car high above its' head. Half a ton of steel death impacting in three, two, one…

BOOM! The robot flung back, its' body shattering as it impacted the abandoned building across the street. Elisa looked up from her huddled position – and found herself staring into the face of a young gothic woman.

"Are you aright?" Argent asked as she offered her hand to the woman.

"Yes, I'll be fine," she said, taking the Titan's hand and regaining her footing. "By God, who are you?"

Argent flashed a grin as the dark portal opened behind her. "Jump City's not the only part of the world that has heroes, luv," she said as the Herald sent the others from his villa. "Just call us the cavalry."

"All right, boy and girls," the Herald said as he emerged from his own portal. "Jump City's under attack, two Titan teams are missing, and one unstoppable son of a bitch is making life a living hell for the assholes down at the H.I.V.E. I say it's time we take this city BACK!"

"Hell yeah!" Argent shouted. The rest of the team responded in kind.

"Then let's get going!" the Herald said. "Always wanted to do this…TITANS! GO!"

* * *

BANG! BANG! BANG!

_Ah, nothing like the sound of my head hitting a metal wall multiple times in succession. Teeth are rattling in my fuckin' mouth as the arachna-fucker slams me into the wall for the umpteenth time. Getting old, Fang – and I'm starting to get pissed…_

"Come on, Fang," Kitty whined as her boyfriend set Logan skidding across the floor towards the stairs. "Put your teeth into this fucker and finish this!"

The villain glanced back at the young girl with all eight of his beady little eyes. Experience had taught him that Kitten was truly a cruel and crazy bitch beneath all the cuteness and sickly-sweet voice.

"Better do as she says, Fangy," Logan said, getting back to his feet. "Don't wanna piss that bitch off."

"You shut the fuck up, Logan!" Kitty screeched, her eyes narrowing into slits.

"Hey, I call 'em as I see 'em-!"

_My body staggers as one of Fang's legs pierces the front of my chest. FUCK! Didn't know spiders could do that. Probably can't. Lucky me – I just so happen to fuck with the one who can. How the fuck have I managed to survive this long with my atrocious luck?!_

_Uh-oh. Getting philosophical again. Using big words – and using them correctly, even! Can't spell it worth a damn, but what the hell – makes me look smarter. Anyway…_

_Fang goes to lift his leg. Trying to bring me close enough to his mouth to give me a poisonous hickey. Don't know if the shit in me can counteract poison. Better off not finding out. I reach into my belt. I grab the handle. One order of spider leg – coming up!_

Kitty watched in horror as the Titan hacked off the spider's leg with his knife, sending Fang into a painful screeching session. As the villain stumbled violently around the hallway, Logan pulled the offending object from his chest. Looking down, he breathed a sigh of relief as the wound closed back up – mainly since it allowed him to breath once again.

"Damn, that shit hurts!" he said, tossing away the leg.

_One down, seven to go. Don't got time to be fuckin' around with this sideshow reject. He's coming back around for another attack. Got a plan. What's that old analogy…oh yeah – kill two fucks with one stone. Not exactly like the original. Gave it my own little twist. _

_My feet pound the tile as I make a beeline for Kitty. Her eyes get as big a saucer plates. Didn't think for a second I'd be coming her way. Fang's right on my tail. Well, I really don't have a tail, but you get the point – just like Kitten's gonna get in three, two, one…_

"Fang, kill him NOW!" the girl screamed as Logan skidded to a halt mere feet from her. The Titan had just enough time to turn his head and see the villain lunge forward, his sharp fangs glistening in the florescent lights. Dead end.

The fangs sunk in deep, the reaction delivering a substantial dose of the bad stuff. But…something was wrong. Fang winched as a hand came across his face, causing him to pull back. As his eyes refocused, he saw Kitty glaring back at him.

"You goddamn retard!" she screamed. "Stop giving me love bites and get that son of a bit-!"

The girl doubled over as her words seemingly got stuck in her throat. She wasn't aware that a powerful dose of venom now ran through her veins. She was dying, and she didn't even know it. Defiant to the end…

"D-d-d-don't just…stare at…me…" Kitten choked out as she stumbled back onto the floor, 'K-k-kill that…mother…fucka…"

Fang's eight eyes moistened as the girl dropped her head to the floor, her eyes still wide open, her skin a pale white as the poison took its' hold. His grief, thankfully, wouldn't last long…

"Hey asshole," a voice called out from behind him. Whipping around, he was met with a wave of high caliber rounds to the skull. With a final screech, the villain dropped dead next to the girl he loved. Over by the stairs, Logan gave a smile as he lowered the Eagle.

"Made ya look," he said.

_Well, that took longer than anticipated. Still, got the bitch and her knight in revolting armor out of the way. Third floor – coming up…_


	20. Total Recall

Aqualad stood fast as Raven eyed the electronic containment field in between the two of them.

"Hmm, the way I see it this thing's the only barrier between you and a very painful death," she said, thoughtfully.

Lad swallowed hard as she watched the girl scan the perimeter of the room. "That's a good thing to know," he said, a tinge of panic in his voice as he took a step back from the field.

Raven looked into his eyes, and gave a sadistic grin. "Is it now?" she asked.

Before the hero could muster a response, the girl smashed her fist right through the electronic lock on the side of the wall. He looked on in horror as the field flickered a few times before failing altogether.

Ohhh…shit," he said, nearly tripped backwards over Bee's sleeping body. He managed to catch himself as the Titan woke back up.

"Lad, what the hell?" she asked, still half asleep.

"Guys, get up!" he yelled, waking the remainder of the team from their slumber. "I think our execution date's been moved up!"

Those words were just the ones needed to get the heroes back on their feet. Steadfast, they stood their ground against the approaching threat of their former friend.

"Raven, you don't need to do this," Lad said, quickly.

"Oh, but I wanna do this," the Girl from Azarath said, her grin becoming even wider.

"You sure about that?" Bee asked, holding her hands out in front of her for protection.

The Titan stopped her advance for the moment. "Umm…I'd say about 85% sure," she said with a dark chuckle.

"Well, what about that other 15%?" Speedy asked.

"That's reserved for what I'm going to do with whichever one of you I leave alive," Raven quipped.

Speedy shook his head, letting out a defeated sigh. "I knew I didn't want an answer to that," he said, nauseated.

As Raven raised her right arm, Lad looked back down at his pocket. 'My phone!' he thought. 'Logan left a message on it for us! Said to play it if shit got dicey. Can't imagine shit getting any diceier than this!'

Lad made a move for his phone. It was just the moment Raven had been waiting for.

"AZARATH METRION ZINTHOS!" The words rolled off the sorceress's tongue with fluidity. The Titans East let out screams of horror as black tendrils snaked from Raven's body and encircled them. Lad was able to free the phone from his pocket before they snared him. Just needed to activate it…

"NO!" Lad shouted as another tendril slapped the device from his hand. With the team at her mercy, Raven let out a laugh as she picked up the phone.

"Nice try, fool," she said as she looked the phone over. "Still, I gotta applaud you for the effort." Her lips curled up as she glanced at the screen. "So, someone left you a message, eh?" she teased. "Probably your mommy urging you to wear clean underwear." She paused, mulling over the little device in her hand. "I should probably just delete it,' she said, chuckling as she held her thumb over the button and delighting in seeing the horror come from Aqualad's face. "Then again, it might serve me well to humiliate you one last time before the end."

Her thumb came down on the button. The phone quickly rolled over to speakerphone mode, allowing all in the room to hear the words left in the cryptic message. But this was something none of them expected to hear…

* * *

"Hey Rae. It's me."

Raven's eyes widened as she looked at the device. The message had been recorded for her, not them – and…that voice…the green man who had escaped her clutches before, the one who had defied her will, the one who…who had kissed her…

"Look, I'd like to say everything's all hunky-dory and such, but you know that's a load of shit. City's going to Hell in a hand basket, and you're responsible – just like the rest of the Titans. As for me…well, call me the wild card in this battle for Jump City. I'm still here…and sadly that more than I can say for you…"

The girl shook her head as she listened to the voice on the other end of the phone. She had heard a message like this before, some time ago. Couldn't have been him, though – the person who had made that call was dead…NO! He survived! Don't know how, but he survived…the Unstoppable one, the one who had given up everything to save her and her teammates. But why? Why did he go so far? Who was he? Was it…could it have been…

"Garfield…" she said, slowly, almost as if tasting the word. "Garfield…Logan…"

"Raven, I hear that total recall's a bitch," the voice went on. "Well, not the movie – that kicked ASS! But what's going through your mind - clashing judgments, unresolved feelings, and the desire to know what's underneath it all – it's natural. I told you to hold on to all that uncertainty. It's all you have left, the only thing that can snap you from the false reality, the one thing that can send you into the Real World from the Matrix – kinda."

Somewhere in the recesses of Raven's mind, flood gates were beginning to fail. Memories of her past life – no, _her life_ – were coming forth with a force unlike any she had experienced before. She held her head with her right hand, causing the Titans to fall to the floor as she broke her own spell.

"You know, Rae," Logan said, nearly at the end of his spiel, "I'd hate to sound like Mufasa from _The Lion King_, but you must remember who you are. You are Raven. You are a Titan. You…you are the girl I fell in love with. Don't let me lose that part of you forever. Fight, Raven. Fight…"

The girl collapsed to her knees, a horrific scream pouring from her mouth as she clutched her head in agony. She could feel the control breaking, her link to her master failing. The visage of Slade burst in her mind into a thousand little pieces only to be replaced by…

_HIM._

Raven's eyes teared up. Her body fell into uncontrollable shudders as she cried, cried for the man who had set her free.

"God, what have I done?" she blubbered as she tried in vain to wipe the tears from her face. They simply kept coming. It was then that she heard the voice on the phone continue.

"Guys, I hope that worked. If it didn't…well, it's been nice knowing ya. If it did…then honestly I'll be as shocked as you are right now. I'm heading to the H.I.V.E. in a few. Hopefully you'll never have to use this, but I can tell you from experience that life doesn't always give us what we want. Sometimes…sometimes you gotta take it. See ya soon…and, if you did have to use it, and it worked…Love ya, Rae."

The Titans got slowly to their feet as Raven stared down at the phone. The message had come to an end, but she stared just the same. Looking at one another, the heroes were unsure what to expect from the young girl. Aqualad took it upon himself to be the guinea pig.

"Raven…" he said. "Are you…you?"

Slowly, the girl raised her head. Lad took a step back as he looked into those eyes.

Those crystal clear eyes.

"Aqualad…" she said as she slowly got back to her feet. "What are you doing here? Better yet – where's here?" Looking down, she let out a gasp. "And why am I dressed like a Slade stunt double?"

"My guess is whatever mind control Slade put you under made you his puppet," the aquatic hero said.

"Mind…control," Raven closed her eyes. She saw the chair, the pained look on the Titan's face, that maddening tone…

Slade's mask, glaring at them all as they became his playthings. There was only one response the girl could muster for all that she had witnessed…

"FUCK!" she screamed, her eyes glowing white hot as she hurled the bench across the room in rage.

"Raven, calm down!" Bee said, holding her hands up. "You're free from Slade's control, but the others are still in his grasp. We gotta stop Slade before he causes any more damage to the city!"

"Correction – first we gotta get out of the H.I.V.E.," Speedy interjected.

"Thank you, Captain fuckin' Obvious," Bee shot back, rolling her eyes.

"Well, that should be easy," Lad said, surveying the hallway. "Coast looks clear to me."

"How can you say that?" Raven asked. "No one else has been causing the H.I.V.E. any problems…well, except for that issue earlier."

Aqualad grinned. It was time. "Rae, that issue has a name," he said.

The girl looked back at him, confusion set deep into her face. "Who?"

Lad let out a chuckle. "Who else?" he said.

The girl's eyes widen as the pieces of the puzzle came together. "You don't mean…no…it's impossible," she stammered.

"What, you think he recorded that message before he died?" Lad said, grinning. "You know he's not that good at predicting the future. Remember when he swore up and down that Clay Aiken was gonna win?"

A hand went to Raven's mouth as her eyes teared up yet again. It was true. _He _was alive…

"He never gave up on me, did he?" she said, softly.

"Never in a million years," Lad said. "From what I gather, he's cleared the lower floors. Once we get out of here, I'll contact Rose."

"You go on ahead," Raven said, waving her hand. As they watched, the uniform the girl wore burst into flurry of black flames. As the material peeled away, Raven was clothed in her infamous outfit.

"Man, like freakin' Piccolo," Speedy said, grinning.

"Who?" Bumblebee asked.

"Uh…nothing," the Titan said, quickly as his face reddened.

"Rae, what are you planning to do?" Aqualad asked, concerned.

The girl's eyes narrowed to slits as they glowed with ethereal energy. "I'm gonna show the Brain and Monsieur Mallah why you don't fuck with my head. Then we'll teach Slade the same lesson."

As the Titan turned to leave, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking back, she saw Lad staring back at her.

"Raven, watch your ass," he said. "I don't wanna bury you today."

"Gotcha," she said as she and the team headed their separate ways.

* * *

_The door to the Headmaster's chamber buckles as I kick it in._

I'm here, Brain!"

_Shit. Too bad he ain't. Looks like he and Mallah headed out to the roof. Probably looking to get off this rock. Uh-Uh. This fucks are going down with the building. I start back out the door for the stairs when I hear something on the monitor. Looking back, I realize that Slade is prepping another one of those 'Look at me - I'm a fucking douche bag' motivational speeches. Hmm…betcha a block of tofu the H.I.V.E.'s got the same kind of technology Slade's got to broadcast pirated frequencies over the airways of Jump City. Could be fun…_

_My mind's in turmoil. Should be chasing the monkey and the jarred villain. Should be looking for Slade. Still, as I reach for the control panel, I realize that I'd never let me forgive myself if I didn't do this now. Oh man…is he ever gonna be pissed…_


	21. Listen All You Mother

Argent looked up from her robot-thrashing as the main screen in Titan Square began cutting out yet again.

"Heads up, guys," she said, putting the finishing touches on her enemy. "Looks like we're about to be serenaded in the key of A-hole Minor."

The other heroes looked up as the image of Slade appeared on the screen – along with every screen and radio station in the city.

"Attention people of Jump City," he said, his monotonous voice even more droll than usual, "The arrival of the so-called 'heroes' to our fair town has caused quite a stir among the denizens. This, however, can be rectified. Unless the 'heroes' are captured and brought before me, I promise that this city will wallow in a darkness they cannot even begin to comprehend."

"Well, that's a hell of a trump card," the Herald said. "Turning the people of the city against us."

Argent glanced around, nervously. Some of the people looking out the windows seem to get the message. Things very well could go from bad to worse in an instant.

"Do not think for a second that these 'heroes' can save you from despair," the mercenary's voice continued. "No one is coming to save you. The only thing these fools can do is bring you more misery. Do what must be done. Subdue the children and make them beg. I repeat – no one is coming to save…"

Slade's voice began to cut out. Whatever mind-altering words he was trying to convey were being garbled by something else. Some other kind of transmission…

"What the hell is going on?" Argent asked as the image on the screen continued to twist and turn. After nearly entering a spiral, the screen came back into focus. The face staring back down at the citizens of Jump City, however, was not that of the crime lord.

"_Dios Mios_," Pantha said, holding a hand to her mouth. "It's…_him._"

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages – Jump City is proud to present to you the most unstoppable son of a bitch ever to walk the goddamn face of the Earth!"

Hundreds of eyes opened in shock as the voice rang out over the streets of the city. Unlike the one that came before, this voice had energy to it – an energy that refused to be silenced by anyone, let along the Ben Stein of the villain world.

Logan's face grinned as he took in the sight before him. "Yes," he said, nodding his head, "it's me, it's me, it's the motherfuckin' BB. Betcha you guys never thought you'd ever see my ass again, eh?"

A chorus of hushed whispers went up from the streets of Jump City. Many recognized the supposedly-dead Titan, and a few in particular recognized him as the so-called 'vigilante' that had ran the streets of the city in an all-out war with villainy. In any case, the people found themselves looking at the face of the wild card in the battle for their lives.

"Well, this vigilante's still got some gas left in the tank, so I plan on bringing a whole world of pain on the motherfuckers who think they're running this city now. Personally, I'm broadcasting from the H.I.V.E. right now – and if any of you in this city got kids enrolled here, I suggest you come down here and pick up the bodies, 'cause this place's gonna get blown the fuck off the face of the planet! Feel free to come on down and watch the fireworks. Be sure to bring plenty of marshmallows and wieners for the roast. As for Slade…if you're watching this right now, know that in about fifteen minutes your balls are gonna be mine. Remember the Golden Rule, shithead – you don't start nothing, won't be NOTHING!"

Argent and the others looked around in awe as the people of the city began cheering. The team couldn't help but smile at the turn of events.

"Bloody hell," Argent said to herself. "I could kiss that boy."

Logan smiled once more as the fists pumped up into the air before him. "Ladies and gentlemen, it's time we take this city back for ourselves. Time to put that fuck Slade were he belongs – in a motherfucking grave! And I'll be the one to see to that. Voice of Survival – OUT!"

* * *

As the screen cut to black, the lone mercenary leaned back in his chair.

"That was…most interesting," he muttered to himself. "Perhaps I should prepare myself for Mr. Logan's arrival after all…"

* * *

"Mallah, I think that haste is of utmost importance," the Brain spoke as the gorilla prepped the escape vessel.

"If we had controls in the H.I.V.E., I wouldn't have had to come out here to start the damn things," the henchman said, pressing in a sequence on the keypad. "Be only a few more moments…"

"Time's up, asshole."

The voice struck like a dagger deep into the heart of Monsieur Mallah. Turning his head around, he spied Raven glaring back at him. Her Slade's Youth uniform, however, had disappeared. The Girl from Azarath was back.

"Soldiers, ATTACK!" the Brain shouted. With his words, a handful of the surviving protectors surrounded the villainous mastermind and began opening fire on the young heroine.

"AZARATH METRION ZINTHOS!" The spell flew from Raven's lips as she sent the mindless drones toppling over the edge of the building with a tremendous force. The shockwave bore so much energy that it rocked both Mallah and the Brain where they stood.

"Mallah, stop her before she-!" the villain's order stopped as a small crack appeared in the dome where the organ was held. "No…No…NO!"

"How about another, motherfucker?!" the girl shouted, flinging another wave of ethereal energy at the Brain. This time, the gorilla leapt from the path of the blast. He needed a weapon, and he needed it now if he were to have any chance of saving his master. By now the small crack had become compromising, as fluid began leaking from the case.

"MALLAH!" he shouted, the synthesizer doing little to convey the fear he had of his own impending death. Raven followed up with another attack that all but ruptured the case. On the edge of oblivion, the girl came face-to-face with the mastermind.

"Not so goddamn tough now, are ya?" she said, glaring down at him. Raising her fist into the air, she prepared to deal the final blow. This would be oh so sweet…

* * *

"RAVEN!"

The girl turned at the sound of her name. Suddenly, she let out a shudder as a massive force punched her square in the chest. Staggering back a few steps, she felt a strange warmth spread down her stomach and onto her thighs. Her hand went to the point of impact. The strange warmth seemed to emanate from that point. As she pulled her hand away, she realized in horror that it was covered in blood. Her eyes moved in a veritable slow motion as she looked back up. Mere feet in front of her Mallah stood, the gun still smoking in his hand.

Raven had never been shot before. It was an alien feeling the likes of which one never forgets…provided one lives long enough to remember them. Glaring back at her, Mallah had time to compose a simple response.

"To kill a mockingbird…" he growled.

The Titan's eyes rolled back into her head. Her weight took her off-balance as she slipped into the darkness, falling back and plummeting down from the roof of the H.I.V.E.

Fade to black…

* * *

Aqualad arched his head as he heard the shot. Turning back, he had just enough time to witness a nightmare – that of his friend tumbling lifelessly from the roof of the building.

"RAVEN!" he screamed. But there was nothing he could do…except watch.

* * *

_My short-lived celebration in outwitting Slade at his own game came to an end as I heard a gunshot from the roof. Funny – I'm not up there. So who the hell's shooting…_

_It all happens in slow motion. As I look out the window of the room, I see her. She's falling. Something's wrong. Eyes are rolled up. She's not conscious! FUCK!_

_My feet are pounding the floor before my mind even gets a chance to ask the rest of me what the fuck it thinks it's doing. I hit the glass with the force of a rhino. SMASH - it shatters like an old dude falling down a flight of stairs. My hands reach out for her. Shit! There's blood everywhere! Still, I take her into my arms as we continue our freefall. She's not gonna survive the impact. Me – well, I'd rather not find out. _

_My mind begins imagining something – something I know very well. Cy, whatever the fuck you put into me, I only got one thing to say…_

_I hope this works…_


	22. It's Morphin Time!

Aqualad and the others stood in a stunned silence. What they had seen was something that little had the privilege of seeing before…but chances were would most likely get to see again.

"No way…" Speedy said, shaking his head in disbelief.

As his teammates continued to stare, Lad just grinned as the leathery wings soared over his head.

"He's back," he said.

* * *

_I'm flying. I'm actually fuckin' flying! Been a long time since I've done this. Shit, guess Cyborg had his recipe all figured out after all – my DNA was once again unstable enough for me to shape shift. The one thing that gave me the chance to be a hero and not some mindless fuck killing for pocket change was mine once again. The last string on Mento's betrayal had been severed, and I was once again the kid they called Beast Boy. _

_My talons held precious cargo. Quickly, I bring myself to a soft landing near the stunned Titans. My celebratory flight could wait until all this shit was finally over. Right now, I had a life to save…_

* * *

"BB, you okay?" Aqualad asked as Logan resumed his normal form.

"Fuck me, man – they shot Raven!" the Titan said, angrily.

"Shit!" Lad cursed. "Guys, get your asses over here!"

As the heroes gathered around the injured heroine, blood trickled down the corner of Raven's mouth. The shot had been dead center to the chest. Damage to the lungs, heart, spine – all possibilities.

"Shit, I can't stop the bleeding!" Bumblebee shouted as she pulled Raven's cloak off of her shoulders and pressed it down over the wound.

"Where the goddamn medics when you need one?" Lad said, helping Bee hold the cloak on the wound.

_Medic…_

"Guys, stand aside," Logan said as he knelt down in front of the girl.

"What are you doing?!" Bee cried as the Titan pulled the cloak from over the wound. His hand went to his side, pulling the knife from his belt. This was unknown territory the Titan was about to walk into, but it was the only shot he had left.

"Hope this shit works," he muttered to himself.

Lad and the other Titans recoiled in horror as Logan plunged the blade deep into his own arm. Twisting the knife, he opened up the wound.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Aqualad asked, a look of shock on his face.

"Not really sure," the green man said as he held the bleeding wound over Raven's chest. Every few moments he twisted the blade to keep the wound from closing back up. To his friends' disgust, the blood from his wound was slowly dripping down into Raven's body!

"Oh man!" Speedy said, holding a hand over his mouth. "That's fucking gnarly!"

"You got a better idea, Speedy?" Logan asked. "This is the only way I know how to leech some of the nanobots into Raven's body! It's the only thing that can save her right now!"

"Yeah, but it just so…so…" Speedy paused as Bumblebee became overwhelmed with nausea and threw up on the ground. "What she said!" he finished.

Logan looked down into Raven's face. "Come on, baby," he said, softly. "Don't you die on me now…"

It was then that he noticed it. Peering closer into the wound, he could see the fibers of muscles tissue slowly stitching itself back together. The gamble had paid off. Raven was slowly being healed by the nanobots he had sent into her system!

"YES!" he exclaimed happily. Quickly, he tossed the cloak back on top of the wound. "Guys, keep holding pressure on that thing, alright?" he said as he pulled the knife from his arm and stuck it back in its holster. "Also, I'd suggest you guys get a bit further back."

"Why?" Bee asked, recovering from her sickness.

"'Cause shit's about to hit the fan," the hero said. "I got some unfinished business to take care of on the roof. After that…well, I plan on opening up some prime real estate right on these grounds. Just get back a couple hundred feet, okay?"

"Gotcha," Lad said.

With the Titans in retreat, Logan once again took the form of the pterodactyl. Time to bring his chapter with the Doom Patrol to an end…

* * *

Mallah's breathing was labored as he held his hands over the damaged dome of the Brain's transport device. This was his master, the one being who had given him the chance to shine. He couldn't lose him now. He couldn't bear the pain…

"Yo – if you two lovebirds are done kissing, I got some asskicking to do!"

The gorilla slowly turned his head. That voice…it was him. That unstoppable motherfucker had finally come…

"Logan!" he growled as he took in the sight of the Titan. "I should have killed you back when you were with the Doom Patrol!"

"True, but then you wouldn't have had the chance to move up to these lovely accommodations," Logan said. "Any-hoo, I think it's about time we-!"

_I pause as two more H.I.V.E. soldiers storm from the rooftop entrance. I quickly dispatch one with a chop to the neck. Other pulls his pistol. He'll never get the chance to use it. His head turns around to take a gander at his ass. Minor inconvenience. On with the show…_

"I hate it when people interrupt all rudely like that," the hero said, straightening his shirt. "Now, what was I saying…oh yeah – Riddle me this, Mallah: How many stupid ugly apes does it take to pilot an escape pod off the H.I.V.E.'s roof?"

Mallah uttered a menacing growl as he glared back at Logan.

"I'll give you hint: it takes more than one," the shape shifter said, holding a finger up.

A moment of silence fell between the two warriors. Then, a strange sound broke the quiet.

"M-M-Mall…llah," The Brain's synthesizer was beginning to short out from the fluid loss. The sound drew the gorilla's attention back to it. "Forget me – death is…inevitable. All I wish of you…is that before I die…I get the privilege of watching Logan die. Do this for me, Mallah…Do this for your master…"

The henchman held his head low, hiding the tears of anguish on his face from being seen. "Yes…my master…" he said quietly. With the fury of a madman, Mallah rose up and pounded upon his massive chest, emitting a roar that nearly shook the building to its' supports. This would be a glorious day – and a messy death for Garfield Logan.

* * *

_I watch as Mallah starts his charge. He's pretty fast for a clumsy ape. That's about half a ton of holy fuck coming my way – and boy is it pissed. You know, I could change into my own gorilla form, charge him, clash head-to-head, and have this big ol' knockdown-dragout here on the roof – plenty of leaping from pillar to pillar, tossing objects, flinging poo – you know, typical monkey shit. I could do that. There's just one problem…_

Like a cobra, Logan's hand shot to his belt. The next shot came from an XD-9 – one that buried itself neatly in Mallah's skull. The charge came to a sudden and unexpected stop. Pitching forward, the villainous ape was dead before he even hit the tile.

…_Takes too fucking long._

* * *

The Brain gurgled as Logan slowly made his way over to him. His most respected and beloved henchmen – emphasis on the 'beloved' part – had been leveled right before his robotic eyes by the one man who seemed capable of picking apart every single villain who came his way. Too bad it looked like it was finally his turn.

"Hey, what's up man?" the hero said as he stood over the damaged villain. "Ooo – that dome's not looking too good. Here, let me give you a hand…"

SMASH! The Brain let out a garbled shriek as Logan shattered the dome with a solid punch. Smiling, the green man proceeded to pick up the defenseless organ in his bare hands.

"Hey, Brainy," he said, shaking his head sadly. "Tell me, man – why do we keep doing this? You know, this old song and dance? We've done so much to ourselves that we barely know where it all starts and where it all ends, and what for? Just to see who's left standing after Round 3?"

Slowly, a pained voice emitted from the damaged synthesizer.

"W….Wa…Wat…er," it moaned.

Logan cocked his head to the side. "Did you just say 'water?'" he asked, an amused look on his face. He followed up by hocking up and spitting on the exposed organ. Even in defeat, the Brain was still defiant.

"FUCK….YOU….LOGAN!" the synthesizer rang out. Logan just smiled.

"H2O – Coming right up!" he said, cheerfully.

_I can almost hear the scream coming from the fucker as I pull the cables that anchored him into the machine out. No more life support for you, Brain. I take a few steps, limber myself up, and toss the evil organ into the air. BAM! I nail a solid punt that basically rips him in half and sends both hemispheres plunking down into that heated pool these fucks are so damn proud of…well, __**were**__ so damn proud of. Hard to be proud of anything when you're dead. Hell of a kick if I don't say so myself. Like fuckin' Pele. Still, it got the job done. Mallah and the Brain are toast. My last tie to the Doom Patrol is dead and gone. Speaking of ties, there's a few loose ends I gotta deal with. One last thing to do…_

_I head back down the stairs into the H.I.V.E. Time to blow this pop stand but good. As I reach the third floor, I hear something in the hallway. My eyes widen as I see the scene in front of me. Ah, hell. Better go straighten this shit out…_

* * *

Logan cautiously walked forward. Fang was still where he had left him before, but Kitty had moved to a new position. Of course, she hadn't done this of her own accord…

The hero looked on as Killer Moth held the cold body of his daughter in his arms. His face was buried in her chest, the sound of sobs emanating from beneath his mask. It was a hard thing for one to watch someone they loved lie lifeless before them. It was something the Titans had witnessed firsthand. As Moth raised his head, he caught sight of Logan staring back at him. Despite the anger that burned inside of him, the villain could not bring himself to break his hold on his seed's lifeless corpse. Instead, all he could do was hurl insults at the hero.

"You – you fucking did this!" He shouted, his voice echoing off the walls of the abandoned hallway. "She was my daughter, you fucking monster! She was my daughter!"

"That she was," Logan said, finding himself unable to compose a better reply.

Moth continued to hold the girl, rocking back and forth as he did so. "She was everything to me," he said, softly. "I loved her just as much as I loved plotting and scheming. She was my world…and now that's gone…"

Logan looked down at the floor. This was it. It was time.

"Sounds like it hurts," he said, quietly. "She was your life. But look on bright side – your life's over."

Moth raised his head just in time to see the end.

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

_My arm shook with the recoil of the XD-9. Moth pitched forward on the floor, Kitty still in his arms. What the fuck was that? An execution – or a mercy killing? Probably a little bit of both. Shit. I don't know how much of me is left. I've been popping caps in so many villains left and right I feel like I'm in a shooting gallery. Granted, plenty of those fucks deserved their serving of lead, but this…it just doesn't feel right. You know, I'm not a big supporter of the whole 'guy upstairs who keeps an eye on shit' philosophy, but if there is, and he's watching…Please, let this be the last. After this, I don't want to have to pull the trigger again – ever. Of course, if I die fighting Slade, that one will basically solve itself. Hoping it won't come to that. Then again, you never know…_

_XD's back in the holster as I continued down the stairs. Like I said before, I got one last thing to do. Git-r-done…_

* * *

Aqualad breathed a sigh of relief as he saw Logan approaching the team.

"Shit, man," he said, shaking his head. "Thought you got lost in there."

"Nah," the hero said, smirking. "Just had some things to take care of." His face soon hardened as he looked back down at Raven. "How is she?" he asked.

"Stable for now," Lad responded. "Whatever you did seems to be working. Still worried, though."

"Aren't we all?" Logan said.

"Not like that," the aquatic hero remarked. This piqued Garfield's curiosity.

"What are you getting at, Lad?" he asked.

Aqualad let out a sigh. "I know you must have introduced at least a couple thousand of those little buggers into Raven's system," he explained. "Based on what they've done for you, I would have expected Raven to be back on her feet already. But something's up. It's taking longer – and that doesn't hold well for you."

"The nanobots are shutting down," Logan said, understanding the plight in front of him.

"Exactly," Lad said. "This thing with Slade – you better watch your ass. You're working on borrowed time again."

"Nothing new, I guess," the hero said. "Guess I won't be playing the part of the human shield after all."

The two heroes had a small laugh at that remark.

"Oh, almost forgot," Logan said, pulling a small remote from his pocket. "Don't wanna let these bad boys go to waste."

"What bad boys?" Bumblebee asked, raising an eyebrow.

Logan grinned – the kind of grin that held nothing good in it for anyone. "Ten pounds of Semtec in the armory," he said. "Good for redecorating – from the floor up, that is."

The hero flipped the cover off of the main switch. Hovering his finger over the button, he smirked.

"This is for my friends," he said, pressing down.

* * *

BOOM! The H.I.V.E. erupted into a massive fireball. Every window in the building shattered with the concussive force of the blast. Bright orange flames flared from every crack and crevasse in the building as the structure began giving way. It was a pyromaniac's dream come true. Shielding their faces, the heroes watched as the legendary school of villainy collapsed in upon itself in a cloud of dust and flames. A terrible, beautiful thing to behold.

"Well, thanks for serenading us with that big explosion, BB," Bee said, her hands on her hips.

"Well, I really meant that for Lefty and General Rection," Logan said, stone-faced. The remark caught the others off-guard.

"Friends of your?" Speedy asked, cautiously.

"Sorta," the shape shifter said. "Those are my nuts. Fuckers tased me there the last time I visited. Figured I owed it to 'em."

"Nice," Bee said, shaking her head. "Very disturbing, but nice."

Logan was about to speak when his communicator went off. "Yo, Logan here," he said.

"Garfield, it's Rose," the voice came over the line.

"What's the good word, kid?" he asked.

"See you've been busy," Rose said. "Nice job, by the way."

"Yeah – maybe I'll take up demolition after all this is over," the hero joked. "How's the hunt?"

"Got what you needed," the girl said. "Slade's transmissions are coming from the old clock tower."

"Creature of habit," Logan said. "Patterns get ya killed."

"Hopefully it's him that'll learn that lesson," Rose said. "I've relayed the info to Argent and the others."

"They're in the city as well?" Garfield asked.

"Yeah," Rose said. "Kinda gave them the heads-up on you still being alive. They're in the process of clearing a path to Slade's doorstep."

"Tell them I'm taking the aerial route," the hero said. "And Rose…thanks."

"Don't mention it." Logan wasn't certain, but he thought he could hear a tinge of regret in the girl's voice. No matter. He had Slade's location. Time to finish this chess game off with a bang.

"Lad, take Raven somewhere and keep her safe," he said. "I'm going after the big boss."

As he turned to leave, the young man felt Lad's hand on his shoulder.

"Be careful, man," he said, firmly. "I don't wanna have to write your eulogy."

The green man smirked. "You kidding? That would be Robin's job," he said, jokingly. "Still, I'll try to save him the trouble."

With that, the wings spread once again, and the enigmatic hero took to the skies.


	23. Runnin' The Gaunlet

_The winds whistle by my head as I fly higher into the evening sky. This feeling, the feeling of freedom, it's something that I haven't felt in a long time. To be whole again. Maybe I still got what it takes after all – got what it takes to storm the stronghold of the most dangerous villain in Jump City's history and likely do battle with his own friends in order to save their lives and the countless lives of the people trapped in the death grip…_

_Shit. When all this is over, I'm putting in for some vacation time. Hmm…might take the Titans along with me. Doubt anyone will fuck with the city in our absence – especially when there'll be nobody left to fuck with it. Ah, a nice sunny beach spot in Tijuana, a cold cerveza in hand, Raven in a G-string…or nothing at all…_

_I shake my elongated head, driving the images from my mind. No time to think about pleasure – duty takes precedence. I see the tower coming up in front of me. Time to get back in the game…_

* * *

Slade sat in his chair, watching the scenes unfold before him. The extended Titan family was quickly making short work of his Sladebots. No doubt they were beating a path to his door something quick. That was the least of his worries as of the moment. It didn't take a villainous genius to realize that the H.I.V.E. had been leveled – especially when one could see the explosion from his hideout. This plan of his was quickly becoming more of a problem that originally foreseen…

BWEEP! BWEEP!

The mercenary narrowed his eyes as the tower's proximity alarms went off. Seemed the guest of honor had arrived. Good. Looked as if his children would finally have someone to play with.

Rising from his chair, he watched as his team of Titans assembled before him.

"What are your orders, Master?" Robin asked, his red eyes narrowing behind his mask.

"Greet our guest the best way you know how," Slade said, firmly.

"At once, Master," the hero said. With that, the four-former hero-squad made a beeline for the roof.

"Let's see you deal out death to your former comrades, Logan," the merc said with a laugh.

* * *

_My feet hit the top of the clock tower as I resume my normal form. Pretty sure Slade saw me coming a mile away. Given his history, I doubt he's gonna engage me head-on right out of the starting gates. I hear boots hitting the metal steps of the stairway. It's coming, and it's not gonna be pretty…_

_I tense up as it see the masks. Sladebots. Deadly. Efficient. About as ugly as their namesake. Half a dozen at most. Not surprised. Probably sent out the bulk of his 'bots to terrorize the city – 'bots that are being show the scenic route to the city dump. One's coming in fast. I'll put a stop to that…_

_BAM! My foot goes out in front of it, hands up to help it along its' maiden flight. Old-school trip off the roof. A bit slapstick, but a golden oldie in my books. Next throws a wide right. __**Too**__ wide. I catch it right under the chin with an uppercut. WHACK! Head flies off! Like fuckin' Rock'em Sock'em Robots. Can't tell if these guys are the real deal or if these are part of the reject batch…_

_BAM! I'm seeing stars. Blood's leaking out of my nose for a few seconds. Guess that answers my question. These ones are out for homicide. Too bad all they're gonna get is a short-lived fury. I see this one coming. Hand grabs arm, foot meets chest, and momentum does its' thing. Out goes the last robo into the wild blue yonder. From there, I let gravity take control. _

_I'm back on my feet pretty quick. Blood's pumping, heart's racing - everything's on high alert. Hmm. Kinda feels like that day at the Perez – only this time I don't think the Titans will simply be watching from the sidelines. My eyes shift back towards the stairwell. My jaw sets. Four pairs of red eyes are glaring my way. Momma, don't let your babies grow up to be Titans – it's just not cricket, alright? That way you prevent shit like this from happening. Guess there's not much left to do now but what I do best…_

* * *

"So, you guys really wanna fuck with me?" Logan said, cocking his head to the side as he stared back at Robin.

"Nothing else we'd rather do," the Boy Wonder replied. "Besides, you're trespassing on our master's property."

"Indeed," Starfire said, her eyes glowing green momentarily from her alien energy. "If I recall properly from the human verbiage, such people who invade others' private space are subject to being shot."

"Yeah," Cyborg said, grinning evilly as he armed his pulse cannon, "and you know what? Survivors are to be shot again."

Logan glared back at the former heroes. For a moment, his eyes lingered on Jericho.

"Hmm…no snappy comeback?" he asked the young man. "What's a matter with you, Jerry?" He grinned. "Daddy's cock in your mouth?"

Jericho let out a low growl as a response.

"I'll take that as a maybe," the Titan said.

"Enough games!" Robin said, taking a fighting stance. "You ready to die?"

Logan flicked his head to one side, cracking vertebrae as he did so. "Since the day I was born, motherfucker!" he shouted.

* * *

_Here I am, on the rooftop of a busted-ass clock tower, ready to throw down with the heroes who I had considered my family for years. If I manage to take them all down without killing them in the process, my reward with be a slobber knocker showdown with the most sadistic killer on the face of the planet. Yippie-fucking-skippie. Oh well, only one thing left to say…_

_DING._


	24. Clash Of The Titans

_Let me ask you something: Have you ever danced with the devil in the moonlight on the winter solstice? My guess is probably not…but if you have, you'll realize that it has nothing to fuckin' do with what I'm about to go through. Just a random thought I felt I had to throw out there. Now, since my mind is clear, let the beatings proceed…_

_Robin's a quick one. I duck a right cross with just enough time to avoid a bolt from Starfire. Hell, that was close. Never been on the opposite side of that shit before. Hopefully when all this is said and done I never will have to again. I deliver a brutal upkick right under Robin's chin. That'll leave you seeing stars, motherfucker. Nothing against Robin – I just hate the fact that he's always so uptight and serious. The fact that he's trying to reduce my ass to a blood pile is just fuel for the fire. He's down for the moment – and that's just how long I got to get the fuck out of the line of fire from Cyborg's Pulse Cannon…_

_BWEEEEW! _

_FUCK! I hit the dirt as the energy blast goes right over my head. Probably singed a few hairs. Good thing I know a guy who does good work cheap. Anyway, I get back to my feet…well, not exactly __**my**__ feet. More like the feet of a two-ton rhino with a mean streak a mile wide. Hey, did you know the average rhino can run at speeds of up to 40 miles an hours?_

_BAM!_

_Cyborg knows now. He also learned that two tons of rhino packs quite a punch. Betcha you won't find that shit in Zoobooks. Morphing back to my regular form, I see Jericho coming my way. Gotta remember not to look in that fucker's eyes. Outside of that, he's relatively harmless…_

_SMACK! My chin makes a mental note to tell my brain to go fuck itself as Jericho lays a solid shot across my mouth. Fucker hits hard! Why don't people ever tell me this shit? Ah, fuck it – makes the world a little more exciting, I guess. Whatever._

_I get back to my feet, and wipe the blood from my lips. As Jericho comes in again, my ears pick up the sound of a pretty little princess zooming in on my location. Hmm…might be time for a little comic relief…_

Starfire's eyes shone with green fury as she swooped down from the skies. Whoever this intruder was, he was beginning to become more trouble than he was worth. All she needed to do was charge down, grab him in her arms, and use her strength to shatter every bone in his bone. She smiled as the image flashed through her head. He wouldn't be much of a threat after she was done with him. She reached out her arms. She could practically smell him…

_BINGO! I dodge out of the way at the last second. Star goes head long into Jericho. Quickly, she realizes her mistake. _

_But not quick enough…_

"Aw, ain't you two a cute couple?" Logan said.

Star and Jericho had just enough time to turn their heads. Their prize for such diligence – the sight of two giant gorilla fists headed straight for their faces.

_BAM!_

_Holy shit – not that's what I call a two-fer! As the lovebirds crumple to the rooftop, I hear a distinctive sound behind me. Heard it many times before. Usually, it's the last thing a henchman hears before he takes a nice nap in the state pen. _

_The sound of Robin's telescoping staff. He thinks he's got the drop in me. Silly Titan – tricks are for kids…_

Robin let out a gasp of surprise as Logan took a knee, sending the end of the staff whipping right over his head. No one had ever outwitted him in battle before. It was almost as if the intruder knew how he fought, knew how he strategized, maybe…maybe even knew _him. _Quickly, he regrouped for another attack – only to find Logan in his face, his own hands wrapped around the staff! Acting on instinct, the two began a circular dance, each trying to use their momentum to throw the other off-balance and off the staff.

"Why don't you just lay down and die?!" the Boy Wonder asked through clenched teeth. "It would be so much easier."

"Hmm…I though your mentor wasn't too big on the whole 'killing' stuff," Logan shot back, keeping in perfect rhythm with the former Titan.

Robin let out a laugh. "Are you dense?" he asked, smirking. "Slade is a master of taking lives. He is the legendry mercenary. He is the ruler of Jump City!"

"But _he's_ not your mentor, now is he, Robin?" the shape shifter asked.

As Robin prepared to respond, something tweaked deep inside his brain. The sheer unpleasantness of it all left a strange look on the young man's face. This was supposed to be a simple question to answer. Slade had always been his master, his mentor. It had to be true. Slade had told it to him himself! But the question seemed to raise doubt in the Boy Wonder's mind. Was it because of the question asked by the green man, or the nature of the answer? Perhaps…perhaps it was the green man himself that had such an impact on his mind. All he knew now was that something wasn't right. He didn't know what, but something felt wrong…

_I can see it in Robin's eyes. Slade's control is wavering. I doubt he'll break, though. He's not like Raven – he buries his feelings for others deep below the surface. Can't free him – but it gives me enough time to put him down. Quickly, I pull the staff towards me. He didn't expect that. He stumbles, off-balance. I fall back towards the ground. As I do, I plant my foot right in his chest. Up and over – Looks like the bird could fly after all…_

_He hits the rooftop with a THUD. Still sliding. Shit – he's headed for the edge! Too much OOMPH on that monkey flip. I'm back on my feet in a flash. My hands reach out as he goes over the side. Don't miss, asshole…_

* * *

Robin's downward descent came to an abrupt stop as Logan's hands clasped firmly around his own. With inhuman strength, the Titan pulled the Boy Wonder from the jaws of impeding death. It was a tense moment as the former hero caught his breath. Logan's eyes narrowed. He was ready for anything…except what was to come next.

"You…you saved me," Robin stammered, looking up at the hero. "You…you don't even know me. I tried to kill you…and you risked yourself to save my life."

Logan felt a grin come to his lips. "It's what I do," he said. "Not about to let an old friend go over the edge."

The Boy Wonder got back to his feet, his eyes still locked on the Titan. "Well, 'old friend'," he said, "I think you deserve to know something."

Logan opened his mouth to speak – but quickly found himself cut off as Starfire's arms wrapped around his body. As the hero struggled in the Tamaranean's grasp, Robin's face broke out into a twisted grin.

"You should know that you should never trust your enemies!" he said, landing a hard right hook to Logan's face. The hero's head snapped back with some force. Incapacitated for the moment, the Boy Wonder snapped his fingers.

"Jericho," he said, "do your thing."

_As I raise my head back up, I see that fuck Jericho coming forward. It only takes a moment. He locks his eyes with mine. Fuck me…_

_Game Over…_


	25. A Touch Of The Chelios

Robin's smile widened as Jericho's possession skills took over. Within seconds, Logan's eyes shone the same deep crimson that the others shared. It was over. They had their prize.

"Good Job, Jericho," he said to the possessed Logan. "I'll radio the master and tell him that we have the situation under control."

"I'm sure he'll enjoy that," Cyborg said, smirking. "What about this asshole?" he added, jutting a thumb over at Logan.

"I'll let Jericho deal with that," Robin said. "He'll probably will him to kill himself. That way we'll have one less thing to worry about."

"Well, when he does, tell him to do it off the roof," Cy said. "I don't wanna be stuck cleaning that shit up."

"You and me both, brother," the Boy Wonder said, nodding his head. Looking at the possessed hero, he gave a final nod.

"Finish it," he said.

* * *

_Hmm._

_Funny. Never been possessed before. Kinda thought you lost control of everything. Mostly right. Jericho's got control of my body, but I still have my mind. Gotta say, this is some bullshit. I'm a backseat driver in own body! Doesn't get too more fucked up than that. Gotta get him out before he leaves me in a bad position – likely a deadly one. But how? Jericho's an enigma. All we know is that Slade's his dad, Rose's_ _his sister, and Bob's his uncle…_

_Heh. Couldn't resist. _

_Anyway, this kid's seen some shit in his past. Betcha anything he hasn't seen the shit I've seen. Since Slade's mindfuck caused them all to forget all the shit that happened at the Perez and the H.I.V.E., I'm willing to guess they would be rather shocked to see that shit again. At least, Jericho's gonna. He may have control of my body, but I can flood his mind with some crazy shit. Try this on for size, you ukulele-playing fucktard…_

* * *

Deep within Logan's subconscious, Jericho winched in pain. What had just happened? It was as if a flash of something had weaseled its' way into his mind. Something that wasn't his own. Shaking it off, he concentrated on moving Logan to the edge of the clock tower. A ten-story fall should be plenty to put this punk out of action…

FLASH!

"_Okay, you know what? DING. Time's up."_

"_Wait, what do you mean by 'DING'? WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY 'DING'?!"_

FLASH!

Jericho stumbled in his mental control. Outside, Logan stumbled to the ground before getting back to his feet.

"What the hell was that?" Robin asked as he watched the possessed hero rise.

"Nothing…" Jericho said in Logan's voice. "Just a little…problem with connection."

Deep inside, however, the young man was worried. Never before had someone given him such a difficult time while under possession. Perhaps this Logan character was as dangerous as his master had said him to be…

FLASH!

"_I…uh…kinda totaled the Cy-Car."_

"_You WHAT!? Oh, the horror! The HORROR! BB, I'm gonna kill you!"_

FLASH!

Jericho shook his head again. What was that? Where the hell was it coming from? More importantly…why did it seem so familiar?

FLASH!

"_BB, how in the world did you survive a fall like that? Ravager told us what she saw that day. Hell, I probably couldn't have survived that! Gimme some answers!"_

"_Blind luck? Divine intervention? The twisted inner machinations of a deranged fanfic writer? Take your pick."_

FLASH!

Logan's body hit the rooftop yet again as Jericho's control faltered. That one…that had been too familiar. Like it had occurred right before his own eyes. What was this? It had to be a lie…No one was that unstoppable…

FLASH!

_The green man stood before him once again. This time, however, he was covered in flames. It was impossible…but it was. What kind of fuckin' monster is HE?!_

FLASH!

_Get outta my head, motherfucker!_

* * *

"Jericho, you planning on killing this fucker today or wha-!" Cyborg's jaw dropped open as he saw Jericho snap back onto the ground – this time in his own body. Despite all odds, Logan had successfully exorcised Jericho from his body!

"Dammit!" Robin said, narrowing his eyes. "He's a persistent one, that's for sure!" Balling up his fists, the Boy Wonder charged in full tilt. All he needed was one solid shot to end this guy's night. Impact in three, two one…

WHAM! The full force of Robin's punch landed – smack dab into Logan's outstretched palm. In shock, the former Titan looked up at the green man. What he saw wasn't pleasant.

_Okay, I've about had enough of this shit. Trying to be the nice guy. Trying not to do something I might regret. But all fuckin' bets are off now. You wanna dance? Then let's dance, assholes!_

Robin's head snapped back as Logan drove a knee right into his face. He barely had time to register the fact that blood was leaking from his nose when the Titan drilled him again. And again. And again just for the hell of it.

"SHIT!" Cyborg said, watching as the team leader stumbled to the ground, his face a mangled mess. "Somebody put this fuck away NOW!"

"Gladly," Starfire said, charging up an other energy bolt. Before she could fire, however, Logan was in her face.

"You'd best fire that, bitch!" he roared, spit flying from his mouth. "Pray to motherfuckin' Allah that you HIT ME!"

The sheer outburst from the Titan was enough to make the young girl waver for just a moment. It was all Logan needed. His fist snaked out, catching her right in the stomach.

"OOFH!" Star grunted, doubling over. As she did, the Titan took her back. He needed to buy some time, and he had the perfect method for doing so.

Starfire may have been a Tamaranean. She may have been a member of one of the universe's most feared warrior races, but even she let out a gasp as the cold steel pressed against her throat. Had she or her friends been of sound mind, they never would have expected to see the sight before them – Logan holding his combat knife to her neck, his other hand gripping her hair. It seemed that the tides had turned, and clearly not in their favor…

_The look on their faces is priceless. They may be Slade's playthings, but they know that they've been had. Good thing they don't remember who I am. If they did, they'd know I was bluffing…At least, I hope I'm bluffing. Who knows how far this thing's gonna go. Will they back off, or will they just blow a huge hole right through her to get to me? What if Slade commands them to? Will they do it?_

_Why am I asking you? _

_Anyway, I hold my ground. So do they. They're looking for an opening. Not gonna give them one. Better be prepared for anything. Shit could start popping off at any moment…_

"TITANS!"

The single word echoed across the rooftop. The word itself was common, but the voice behind it was unique. Robin and the others stiffened up as Slade emerged from the stairwell.

"Robin, you allowed our friend to take ahold of one of our own?" he said, his eye narrowing behind his mask. "I am…disappointed in you. I thought you were better than that."

"But, Master-!" Robin clammed up as the mercenary raised his hand. He knew better than to argue with him.

"So," Slade said, his focus now on Logan, "you seem to be making a bit of a name for yourself…Mr. Logan." The last words were spoken slowly, as if the merc half-expected a response from his brainwashed followers. Nothing so far. The control was holding.

"And you seem to be making a bit of a mess out of my fuckin' home," the Titan said, coldly.

"Your _home_?" Slade said, slightly amused. "This is not your home. This city, these people – they belong to _me_."

"I don't see your name on 'em, asshole," Logan shot back.

"Give it time," the mercenary said. "As soon as you and your bothersome little friends are out of the way, I can recreate this city in my own image."

"Yeah, that of a half-blind fuckwad dressed for the Fetish Ball," Logan said, a slight smirk on his face. "Count me out."

_Running out of time. I take a quick glance down at my communicator. I like what I'm seeing…_

"Logan, you're a funny man," Slade said, firmly. "Sadly, I have no use for your brand of humor in my world. Today, you die."

"Probably," the green man said, shrugging his shoulders. "But, before I go, I got a little something to tell ya."

The merc cocked his head to the side. "And what might that be?" he asked.

Logan gave a grin. It was time.

"Pizza delivery," he said.


	26. Time of Dying

The heads of every single person on the rooftop whipped around as the cavalry came to the rescue.

"What the..?" Robin said as Aqualad, Argent, Bumblebee and the other members of the Titan family came over the side of the building. "We beat you!"

"Not hard enough, it seems," Lad said, grinning. "We picked up some friends along the way. I think we might have the odds in our favor now." Looking across the rooftop, the aquatic hero smiled at Logan. "Nice to see you, Dead Man. How you holding up?"

"Like Glenn Quagmire in a lezbo club," the Titan said. "How the fuck you think I'm holding up?!"

'Typical,' Lad thought as he smirked. Logan was still ready with a snappy comeback for anything.

Slade's eyes narrowed as he surveyed the scene. His Titans were sorely outnumbered. Still, there was one way to make the heroes crumble. All he needed was the right timing…

"Titans, show our guests the door," he ordered, his voice as cold as ice.

The final battle for Jump City was about to begin…

* * *

_Slade's one crazy motherfucker. Robin and the others are down at least two to one and that masked menace is still ordering them to throw down. Not surprised. The Titans are just another expendable resource for that SOB. Still, they charge in without hesitation. I still got my blade against Star's neck. Now, it's just me and the madman…_

The mercenary let out a small chuckle as he watched Logan. Despite the relative annoyance the Titan had caused him, he still had to admire his courage – foolish as it may be.

"I have to take my hat off to you, Mr. Logan," he said, slowly. "You know how to spin a good yarn." He gestured towards the immobilized Tamaranean. "Little Starfire is no longer aware of whether or not you're capable of using that blade. You and I, however, know the truth."

"No, Fox Mulder knows the truth," Logan said, a slight grin on his face. "You and I don't know jack about shit."

"Speak for yourself, boy," Slade said, his eyes narrowing. "That little cunt is the only thing standing between you and your grave. Nice of the Titans to throw you that little going away party – there's a good casket sitting in the ground going to waste. Might be about time we fill it with something."

"Nice thought," the green man said, grinning. "Problem is you're about a foot and a half too tall. Ah, hell – that's what they make chainsaws for right?"

_Slade's taking his sweet time with this. Starting to get on my nerves. Keeps fuckin' circling around me like a damn vulture. I turn to keep pace, the knife never leaving the vicinity of Star's neck. Know it's just a matter of time before he decides to just cut her down to get to me. Back's near the stairwell now. Thing's all twisting up like a corkscrew. Got a bad feeling it and I are gonna get a little more acquainted in a moment…_

_Shit. Slade's still watching me. He's waiting for the right moment. Hmm, maybe I can offset him by doing the unexpected._

_By acting first…_

"Okay, asshole," Logan said, the steel blade slowly falling away from Starfire's neck, "you said you want to kill me. Sounds like fun. Knowing you however, I'm betting you don't want this to end with a bang. You wanna find out who the best really is. Tell you the truth, I'm kinda itching to know myself. With that being said…"

The mercenary watched calmly as the Titan released Starfire's hair and dropped the knife to his side. This was it.

"Let's dance," Logan finished, stoically.

Slade let out a chuckle. "Good move, Mr. Logan," he said, nodding his head ever so slightly. "But, I seem to have lost interest…"

_It's so fast I can't even get a bead on it. Before my mind can even begin to register what's going on, I hear the shot. Then I feel the impact. Fucker cleared holster in a fraction of a second and put one in me. So much for wanting to know who the bigger man was. Slade's playing by the rules of the street – and that's to win, any way possible. _

_I'm pissed now. Fucker wants to play games, I just show him what I'm made of. I grin as I take a step towards him…_

_What the…_

_I stagger as my right leg damn near buckles at the knee. I can feel blood seeping out of the gutshot as I struggle to remain on my feet. FUCK! Somebody's hacked my Game Genie! The nanobots are finished. Oh shit…_

_I think I'm finished…_

_I can feel myself tumbling backwards, tumbling towards that corkscrew of a staircase. I don't' even feel the impact of the first step on the back of my head. I do, however, get one last glimpse of that fuck Slade before the whole world goes black. Dammit…I got this far, got all the way to the final boss, and I'm all out of continues. _

_Life…is such…a…bitch…_

* * *

"BEAST BOY!" Aqualad screamed as he saw his friend disappear into the darkness of the tower. That stupid motherfucker. Why did he have to do all this alone? Why did he have to be so goddamn stubborn? Why…

Why did he have to be a hero?

The image burned into the aquatic hero's mind. It filled him with something that he'd never felt before…_rage_. Pure, unadulterated rage. It was time for a little payback…

Jericho let out a grunt as Lad slammed him upside his skull with a massive fist. He didn't even get to the ground before Lad's foot found a nice spot to lodge in his ribcage. This grunt was even louder.

"How's that feel, fucker?" Aqualad said, gritting his teeth. "How jolly fucking well you like that, huh?"

Lad reached down and grabbed a handful of Jericho's collar. His right hand balled into a fist. Time to drop the hammer on this mo-fucky…

The hero let out a gasp as his hand stopped dead in mid-swing. Glancing around with his eyes, he realized his wasn't the only one affected. Every single Titan, including their brainwashed brethren, was locked in position. Try as he might, the only things Lad was able to move were his eyes and his mouth. What the hell was going on…

"Well, I see none of you are capable of resisting my Zero-Energy Field," Slade said calmly as he walked among the trapped Titans. "Amazing little device, if I say so myself. It locks any organic being within its' radius in a field of neutrally charged particles. In layman's terms, it's the pause feature on the reality TiVo."

"Let us go!" Bumblebee said, angrily.

"Oh, I don't think that will be happening any time soon," the merc said, coldly. "Not until I put a bullet in each one of your heads…well, with the exception of my own team."

Slade turned to his right, glaring at Robin as he sat frozen in mid-battle with Argent. "Robin, my boy," he began, "you and your team have proven…quite useful in my quest to rule Jump City. However, I think it's time you got let go."

The Boy Wonder's eyes grew wide with uncertainty. "Master, I…I don't understand," he said, shocked.

"I didn't think you would," Slade said, sternly. Slowly, he held up a small device for all the Titans to see. "Allow me to explain what's going to happen: First, I'm going to press this button. This remote will set off a powerful signal similar to the one that I used to…'enlighten' you. This one, however, is designed to destroy your minds from the inside out. I'm told your skulls will pop like overfilled balloons…but I will be the judge of that. Afterwards, I will personally put a bullet in the head of each remaining Titan, since this device will only work on your team."

Robin's heart leapt into his throat as his hear the words. His master, the one whom he had pledged his life to, was going to kill him! "Master, why?" he asked, his breathing becoming labored. "Why would you kill us? We did all you asked!"

"Precisely," the merc said, calmly. "You did your jobs magnificently…well, with the exception of Logan. Either way, your job is complete…and I have no more use for you."

All eyes were on Slade as he hovered his thumb over the button. The endgame was at hand.

"So sorry to ruin your day, my boy," he said, quietly. "But you know that in any good war, there must be sacrifice…"

Game over.


	27. Rose, Bloody Rose

BLAM!

The mercenary stumbled as the device flew out of his hand. The shot had been quick and clean, serving to merely knock the remote from his grasp with minimal damage. Not too many people left in the world that could make a shot like that – and not many resided in Jump City. Still, the merc had to know. Turning his head to the side, his eye widened in surprise at the sight that stood before him. It took but a moment for him to recompose himself.

"Well, looks like someone's finally come out of her shell," he said as he rose.

* * *

Rose's hand trembled ever so slightly as she held the still-smoking pistol. She had found herself in Titan Tower for a spell going over the events that had transpired since the Titans' capture in her mind. She had sat in that tower, mentally and physically kicking herself for not standing up to her father, for not being the hero her friends expected of her. They deserved more than that.

As her father stood back up straight, her eyes narrowed behind her mask. The best thing about most mistakes, she had concluded, was that they could always be fixed. Cue the heroic music.

"Well, well, well," Slade said as he rested his hand on the pistol in his holster, "The great murderer herself has come to save her little friends."

"Guess I learned from the best," the girl said, coldly. At this, her father chuckled.

"Not nearly enough," he said, shaking his head. "Still an amateur."

Rose's eyes darted down towards Slade's hand. With his reflexes, that gun could be out at any time. One shot, one kill – just how he liked it. And she would be next…unless…

"So, are you gonna plug me, too?" she said, nodding her head towards her father's hand. "Put a bullet in me just like you did Logan?"

The merc's head cocked to the side. "How did you know that?" he asked.

The Titan gave a grim smile. "I heard the shot on my way up the side of the building," she said matter-of-factly. "Looks like you put an end to the villain massacre."

"I wouldn't take all the credit," the mercenary said, shrugging his shoulders. "Just most of it."

To the man's surprise, Rose let out a scornful laugh. "I wouldn't," she said, an evil smirk on her face. "All your bravado about being the best killer in the world, and you shirk off a chance to prove it to the people of this city?"

The remark hit Slade hard. "I need to prove nothing to no one!" he said angrily, his eye narrowing beneath his mask.

"Bullshit," Rose fired back. The plan was working so far. Hand's still on the gun, though. Need a little more incentive. "You had the chance to crush Garfield in front of all the Titans, and you just shot him. Why? You could have picked him apart with ease…if you're as good as you say you are. So, why the copout?"

"None of your goddamn business," the merc said. It was working. His cool was coming unraveled. Just a little more prodding…

"I'll make it my business, thank you," the girl continued. "So, why? Why punk out?" She let out a little giggle. "Maybe because the tabloids are right? Maybe because Logan really is as dangerous as Mento said? Maybe, just maybe…you were _**afraid**_ of him."

Slade's eye widened behind his mask, but he remained silent. Rose took the opportunity to continue the ball-busting.

"That's it, isn't it?" she said, her grin growing wider by the moment. "You were afraid that Logan could actually take you down. Imagine – the greatest mercenary in the world being defeated by Beast Boy of the Teen Titans! How would that sit with the villain community, hmm? Bet you a dollar there'd be kindergartners waiting on the playground just to beat your ass…"

"ENOUGH!" Slade's voice echoed in the light breeze surrounding the rooftop. The grin had fallen from Rose's face, but she was still smiling on the inside. The ploy had worked – her father now felt like he had something to prove. As she watched, the mercenary pulled the pistol from his holster – only to toss it with a clatter on the roof. He also pulled his backup weapon as well as the machine gun slung over his back and let them drop. Cracking vertebrae in his neck, Slade rested his hands on the hilts of his katanas.

"You have a knack for cerebral assassination," he said, the calm returning to his voice. "You're right – maybe I let this thing with Logan go to my head. Still, I do have one adversary who I feel I should take on mano-a-mano." His eye narrowed once again behind his mask. "Get my drift?"

Rose rotated her shoulders. With a fell swoop, she let the twin MP-5's drop from those very shoulders as well as her own pistol. Her hands would come to rest on her own set of blades. "Precisely," she said.

The mercenary let out a sigh as he sprung the handles of the katanas upwards, drawing the blades ever so slightly from their scabbards. "I taught you many things, Rose," he said, quietly. "It's only fitting that I teach you one last lesson – how to die with dignity."

The Titan responded by freeing her own blades from their home. "That's nice," she said, "but I'm not sure I'd be able to do it right. Perhaps you should show me how it's done."

Beneath the mask, Slade's lips curled into a smile.

"Good girl," he said. "Let's begin."

* * *

Like a cobra on speed, Slade's blades flew from their scabbards. Almost as if cutting through reality itself, they descended onto their target.

CLANG! The blades reached a dead stop as rose swiftly blocked the attack. His daughter's speed seemed to impress the legendary merc…not that he would acknowledge it.

"Beginner's luck," he said, coldly. "Let's try again."

With that, the two trained killers laid into one another. With a ballet of death so fluid John Woo would be green with envy, the master and the student exchanged glancing blows to one another. The sound of metal-on-metal reverberated off the rooftop with an echo that could be heard in the streets below. Fitting, seeing as this battle would ultimately seal the fate of every living soul in Jump City. Finally, Slade snaked in with an overhand slash, catching Rose on the fleshy part of her left thigh.

"AHHH!" she cried, stumbling back a few steps. Inspecting the wound, she tentatively put her weight back on it. Some blood, bit nothing serious. Still, she had to watch herself – any loss of blood could prove fatal over any given amount of time. Standing tall, she saw her father cross his arms over his chest, the two katanas pointed down towards the ground like the statue of a knight.

"You ready to quit?" he said, calmly.

The Titan gritted her teeth. "Just a flesh wound," she said, defiantly.

The mercenary nodded. "Indeed," he mused. "A bit sloppy on my part. Next time won't be so pretty."

Rose was about to fire off another comment, but held her tongue. She couldn't get dragged into his mind games. If she did, she would be off-balanced – easy pickings for her father. No, she had to remain in control…no matter what the cost…

Slade uncrossed his arms, and held the swords with the blades protruding from the bottom of his hands. "Enough with the break," he said. "It's time I break you!"

Rose had barely enough time to raised her blades back up before her father was on her. Despite his age, he was in top physical condition. She had never faced a tougher opponent. Still, her bravado and her rage were more than making up for her inexperience. But one question still lurked at the edge of her subconscious – Did she have what it took to defeat the legendary murderer?

* * *

Aqualad stood helplessly, frozen in time as he watched his friend do battle with Slade.

'Dammit,' he thought to himself, 'Rose's in big trouble. Last time I remember, it took all five Titans to take Slade down. Even Robin wasn't a match for that crazy motherfucker. Rose might be a little less apprehensive about spilling blood, but she's still fighting back the fear she has for her father. Something's got to give…'

"I…I don't understand it…" Aqualad's inner monologue was interrupted by Robin's voice. Looking back, he saw a pained and puzzled look on the face of the Boy Wonder. "We…we did everything. Everything he asked. Why would he kill us?"

"Have you ever considered the idea that you're just another one of his lackeys?" Lad said, coolly. "Someone to sacrifice when the chips are down?"

"NO!" the young man said, angrily. "HE WOULDN'T!"

"Then how do you explain that merry little speech he gave?" the Titan asked. "Look, if he was trying to put the fear of fuck in me and the rest of the Titans – which he has pretty damn well by the way, seeing as I'm probably gonna need to change my tights – why would he threaten you? Just because you were one of us?"

The remark was like a slap across Robin's face. "I was never one of you!" he said defiantly. Strangely, the response brought a smile to Aqualad's face. On his way up, the Titan had seen something that just might jog the former hero's memory. Now it was time to reveal his hand.

"Oh, really?" he said, grinning. "Then do you mind explaining to me what the deal is with that billboard just over my left shoulder?"

Moving his eyes as far over as he could, the Boy Wonder sought to make out just exactly what billboard the hero was talking about. It didn't take long for him to catch sight of it. His eyes widened in sheer horror.

"No…," his voice shuddered, doing what his body couldn't. "It's…it's not possible…"

Staring back at Robin was his own face. Surrounded by his team, the picture was almost perfect – but something was wrong. The billboard boasted of the team as being the _heroes_ of Jump City, a group of super-powered individuals that had devoted their lives to protecting those who lived in the city. It wasn't possible that they could be helping the people – Slade had trained them himself. That's what he had told them. Why would he lie to them? Then again, why would he want to kill them?

Narrowing his eyes a little more, the young man could make out another face on the picture. It wasn't Jericho's, but it was familiar. Who the hell…

A gasp escaped from Robin's lips. Situated in the back of the image was _him_ – the green-skinned individual that had brought so much destruction upon the villains that ruled this city. But why was he with them? He was the enemy, the one that they referred to as Logan, the one that his master had shot down before their very eyes…

The one who had saved the Boy Wonder from plummeting to the ground during their fight. But why? Why would he…

Robin's eyes shut tightly as his head nearly exploded in pain. Why? Why did nothing seem right? Everything had been fine until Logan's arrival. What was special about him? What about him triggered his wave of uncertainty in the young man? Could it be…no…

"_You…you saved me. You…you don't even know me. I tried to kill you…and you risked yourself to save my life."_

"_It's what I do. Not about to let an old friend go over the edge…"_

"BEAST BOY!" Robin's voice reverberated across the rooftop. To the surprise of his team, the red light dimmed from his eyes. Blinking a few times, he looked back down at Argent, a wave of confusion washing over him. "Argent?" he asked. "What the hell's going on?"

Despite the predicament, the British girl grinned. "Nice to see you back in the real world," she said.

Uh…guys?" The two heard Speedy's voice come in from behind them. Unable to move, they simply decided to communicate.

"What is it?" Argent asked.

Because of the Zero-Energy, none of them knew that the Titans East member had nearly been throttled by Starfire after Logan had let her go. Now, the stunned hero watched as the red light faded from her eyes. "Is fading red light a good thing?" he asked.

Argent stifled a laugh as a grin broke out on her face. Robin himself had a small smile on his face as well. "Yeah, Speedy," he said, calmly, "That's a good sign."

* * *

Slade paused in his battle with Rose just long enough to eavesdrop on the conversation.

'Damn,' he thought to himself as he parried another blow from his daughter, 'Looks like the Fish Whisper just woke Robin up from my control. Oh well – I knew it was too good to last. The Titans' mental shielding might have failed, but it was slowly working to override the brainwashing. All it would take was the right stimulus to make it fall apart – and since Robin's the leader, the override would have spread from him to the other Titans. So much for installing that fail-safe. Would have been done if Logan had just decided to stay dead…well, that mistake is fixed. Time to salvage the operation…'

Rose spun her katanas in a wide arch over her head. Her father stood nearly a foot taller than her, so she hoped her reach would put one right underneath his mask and take his head clean off. Good plan…for an amateur.

Without so much as a deep breath, the mercenary dropped to his knees, the blades sailing far over his head. Before his opponent could react, he spun around behind her, his own blades finding their mark.

Rose let out a horrific scream as the edge of two katanas snaked across her back, damaging nerves and muscles as they went along. Stumbling forward, she let out another scream as the blades cut her deep in the back of the thighs. The pain overwhelming, the girl collapsed into her hands and knees, the blades skittering across the rooftop. The Ravager had been ravaged herself. As she moaned in pain, her father stood over her, triumphantly.

"Just an amateur," he said, shaking his head. "Still, you surprised me. I never thought you'd dare try to take me on."

Slowly, he picked up the remote Rose had shot from his hand. "Perhaps I should let your little friends get a ringside seat to your demise."

Quickly, the merc pressed a smaller button located on the right side of the device. As he did so, the Titans stumbled as the Zero-Energy fields shut down around them.

"'Bout damn time," Cyborg said, brushing himself off. "Now, how do I get this monkey suit off?"

"What's the matter, Cyborg?" Slade said, calmly. "My uniforms not to your liking?"

"Hell no!" the Titan said as his quickly raised his arm cannon. "But I think I'm gonna like this a lot more!"

Despite the hot white beam of death glowing from deep within Cyborg's arm, the mercenary stood his ground. The show of defiance was lost on the Titan.

"Suit yourself," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "Your funeral."

FWOOSH! The energy beam erupted from Cyborg's arm cannon – only to find itself extinguished mere feet from Slade's position!

"Hmm, out of the frying pan and into the fire, I suppose," the merc said with a chuckle as Cyborg looked down dumbfounded at his weapon. "You kids were so busy with your Zero-Energy adventure that none of you even noticed that I activated an energy field around your vicinity. You're all still trapped like rats – fitting, as I did experiment on some of you."

"Not well enough, it seems," Robin said, angrily.

"Ah, Robin my boy," Slade said, cocking his head to the side. "Nice to see you've got that old fire back. Too bad it's too little, too late. Logan's dead, and you all get the privilege of watching another one of your own die by my hand."

Glaring back down at Rose, the merc smiled under his mask.

"Check and mate," he said, calmly.

* * *

The dim light of Titan Tower's medical ward made Kole rub her eyes. Under Bumblebee's orders, she had stayed behind in the Tower to watch over Raven. Logan's gamble seemed to have paid off – plus Raven's own self-healing abilities had kicked in as well. The only remnants of her gunshot was the blood that had soaked into her outfit.

Kole yawned. This was a tedious job. Raven had done little to nothing since she had been brought back into the Tower. Maybe she should just go watch TV for a bit…

_BLAM!_

Raven's eyes shot open. She let out a ragged gasp as her body sprung back to life. The gunshot Mallah had dealt her was the least of her worries. Now, her mind was filled with a brutal image – one taking place right at that very moment.

Needless to say, the revival of the Titan on the table had scared the living hell out of Kole. As soon as her heartbeat returned to normal, she rushed over to the girl's side.

"Raven!" she exclaimed, happy that the heroine was still among the living. "You're okay!"

Looking around quickly, Raven grunted as she brought herself to a sitting position.

"Raven, don't overdo it," Kole said, cautiously. "You're still pretty banged up."

"No, I have to get up," the Titan said, quickly. "I just had a vision. Something's happening right now. We have to get to the Titans! Where are they?"

"A-At Slade's clock tower," the girl said. "They went to meet Beast Boy."

At that, a grim look overcame Raven's face. "Then we may be too late," she said. "But we have to try. Get me on my feet. We need to move – NOW!"

Kole didn't object. Whatever Raven saw in her mind was powerful enough to affect the lives of everyone in Jump City. The only thing she could hope is that the sorceress was wrong…and to be honest, Raven hoped for the same.

* * *

Deftly, Slade stooped down and scooped up his pistol. He moved with the calm of the Ancients, sure of himself in everyway. This was it – the final move in the game. Jump City would now be his.

Rose looked up as she heard the hammer cock back. Her damaged body couldn't move fast enough to save her now. She was simply cattle, ready to be put out to pasture. Her eyes locked with her father's one last time. She could hear the screaming of the Titans as they pounded on the barrier, pleading with Slade to stop. It was no use. She already knew that. Still, she felt proud to know that they would fight for her – even if it had taken all of her mental fortitude to bring herself to face her fears. Now, it was time to walk the shadows.

"It's nothing personal, Rose," Slade said. "It's just business…"

* * *

Raven came to a stop as she reached the edge of Titan Tower's roof. The winds of change were swirling around her…but it carried a dark omen on the wing.

"My God," she said, quietly. "We're too late…"


	28. Lethal Weapon

_Reboot…_

_Loading mission parameters…done._

_Loading genetic mutation…done._

_Loading mental instability…done._

_Loading anger management…failed._

_Running diagnostic…_

_WARNING! Irrevocable damage to main chassis! Suggest termination of main program. _

_OVERRIDE: Command Code CHELIOS…_

_Override accepted…_

_WARNING! Continued use may result in permanent damage!_

_Do you wish to continue with override settings? Y_

_Are you sure? Motherfuckin' Y!_

_Beginning program…_

* * *

The scene was playing out almost in slow-motion. Tendons could be heard cracking as Slade pulled down on the trigger. This was the worst time for the Titans – the worst they had ever faced. Good a time as any to throw a monkey wrench into the mix…

"HEY, FUDGEPACKER MCGEE! HEADS UP!"

Slade's head snapped sideways as a solid lead pipe connected with it. Both the device as well as the merc's pistol flew from his hands as he slammed into the rooftop like dead weight. As she sought to shake the cobwebs out of his head, Rose was left to stare up at the image of her savior. It was one deemed most unexpected…

* * *

_I hate stairs. Even more so now that I fell down a whole bunch of them. Blood's still pumping in my veins. That's the good news. The bad news: it's also pumping out of the hole that fuckwad put in my stomach. Tell you the truth, I thought I'd taken the ferryboat across the river Styx when I blacked out. Looks like I didn't have exact change. Oh well. Still here. Might as well do what I do best…_

* * *

"BEAST BOY!" Robin shouted, seeing the injured Titan. Looking back, Logan cracked a smile.

"Nice of you to remember who I am," he said. "Sorry about busting your face in, but let's be honest – you had it coming."

"I'll deal with it," the Boy Wonder said, smirking.

Quickly, the green man's eyes cut to Rose, who had propped herself up on her knees.

"You okay?" he asked, concerned.

"I'll live," she said, a pained expression on her face. "Didn't think you'd still be alive."

"For the moment," Logan said, his eyes narrowing. "Figure if I got enough energy to stand, I can make a last stand."

"Fuck, how do they make guys like you?" Rose asked, weariness in her voice.

"Don't know," Garfield said. Then he smirked. "Doesn't matter," he added. "They broke the mold a long time ago."

Still breathing, the two looked on as Slade got back up to his feet. The blow, though survivable, had put a crack alongside the left side of the merc's mask. Needless to say, he wasn't too happy about it.

"You…prick," he said, collecting his senses.

"Finally got your attention, didn't I?" Logan said, grimacing. His hand was still pressed over the gunshot wound he received from the mercenary earlier. Not that he was about to let that slow him down. "You know, if you're gonna shoot someone, you better aim to kill, fuckhead!"

Slade's eye narrowed behind his mask. "Agreed," he said. "Let me just rectify that…"

With the speed of a cobra, he made a grab for the pistol.

_Nuh-uh, shitstain. Not today, not any day…_

The merc let out a cry of anguish as the lead pipe slammed into his hand, breaking a few fingers in the process. Logan was not about to let this go down Slade's way. This time, he was making the rules.

"Come on, you fuckin' pissant!" the Titan yelled, pounding his chest with his free hand. "Prove to me and the rest of the Titans that you ain't some punkass little bitch! You wanna be the man? You gotta BEAT the man!"

At the remark, Rose let out a chuckle. "Ric Flair much?" she asked.

"Sue me," Logan muttered. "I know good material when I hear it."

Slade grunted as he closed his damaged hand into a fist. His cool demeanor was a thing of the past as he rose back to his feet. Now, all he wanted was bloodshed.

"You little fuck!" he shouted, cradling his damaged appendage. "You do you think you are?"

Logan grinned. "I'm your daddy, bitch," he said. "Now bend over and get what's coming to you!"

"You mutated fuckin' freak!" the merc fired back. "When I kill you, I'll be doing the world a favor!"

The Titan's eyes narrowed, and his face turned grim. "Then come and get me, boy," he said.

* * *

The sound of Slade's boots hitting the tiles echoed across the rooftop. With a flick of the wrist, he pulled one of his katanas back from its' scabbard. If he couldn't shoot Logan to death, he reasoned, he'd chop him down to size.

_Hmm, pointy. Been on the opposite side of one of these before. Just need to know how to render then useless…_

As Slade swung, Logan leapt into the air. With the prowess of a cat, he came back down on top of the blade, pinning it to the ground. As the merc tried to retrieve his weapon, Logan quickly pulled the other katana from its scabbard and thrusted it forward. Slade, seeing the blade coming, abandoned his other sword to escape the range, cursing as he did so.

The Titans looked on in stunned disbelief. In moments Logan had disarmed the legendary mercenary!

_Titans look like what people must have looked like when man landed on the moon – shocked to their fuckin' core. Good. These guys deserved a good show after all the shit they'd been through, and I'm the ringmaster. Time to get this fucker started…_

_I toss the blades over my shoulder – and down to the streets below. Caution – raining deadly metal. Get the hell outta the way! Now Slade's pissed. Never seen anyone that could play his game so well. Gotta keep him angry. Get him so pissed he can't think straight. He'll make mistakes, leave openings, fuck himself over. Son of a bitch's been fucking with my friends' minds all day. Time for me to return the favor…_

_Slade's stepping back in with a right. I duck it and answer with a left to the nut. Not the gut – the nut. Teach him to be fucking with everyone. Make him sterile by the time I'm done. That hurts him – but not enough. Oh shit…_

_Slade grabs a hold of my hair. Face, meet wall. Damn – that'll leave a mark. Going for two. Gets it. Think one of my teeth is loose. Third one coming. Fuck that – did this earlier. My turn…_

The Titans cheered on as Logan planted his foot up against the wall of the tower's power outlet. Using Slade's push as momentum, the hero ran up the wall and flipped back over the merc's head. As soon as he landed, he drop-kicked the merc headlong into the wall with a heavy THUD.

"How you like some of that Jackie Chan shit, Slade?" the shape shifter taunted. "Kicking your ass is like MSG – in about an hour, I'll wanna do it all over again."

_I open my mouth to say something else offensive when Slade bull-rushes me. Now, I'm about five foot to five foot two depending on what convenience store I'm leaving, and about 155 pounds. Slade – he's like a fuckin' Mack truck. I hit the rooftop with a THUD that rattles my bones. That's when the fists start raining down. Fucker's got some big hands. With his weight on top of me and blows coming down, I got the feeling I might be in over my head…_

Robin and the others cringed as the mercenary drove blow after blow into Logan's face. Despite having his hands free, the Titan was unable to fend off most of the punches. Little by little his resolve would fail…but Slade wasn't about to wait for that to happen. Glancing around on the ground, his eye fell upon the knife Logan had used to hold Starfire captive.

"Perfect," he said. With a fluid motion, he swept the blade up in his hands. Logan only had seconds to watch as the merc rose the knife high over his head, point down and headed for the heart.

"Come back from this…"

* * *

BRRTT!

_Slade let out a cry of pain as hot lead tore into his arm and shoulder. Glancing back, I saw Rose, her hands wrapped around one of her MP-5's. One look said it all: a life for a life. Debt repaid. Now to put a stamp on this letter…_

Quickly, Logan grabbed the knife from the mercenary's loose grip. He already had a good idea on where to stick it.

"Didn't your mama ever tell you not to play with KNIVES?!" he shouted, plunging the blade deep within Slade's chest, putting out a lung in the process. As the villain arched back in pain, Logan rolled out from underneath his frame.

_I've come a long fuckin' way. I got a second chance. Now, I'ma put this shit to rest…_

Logan's fists fired off with a fury the likes of which are barely seen outside of Japanese anime. Slade's head was little more than a punching bag as the enraged Titan landed punch after punch.

_BAM!_

_That's for my friends…_

_BAM! _

_That's for everyone we've lost because of you…_

_BAM! _

_That's for Raven, the girl I love…_

_BAM!_

_That's for…that's because I just don't fuckin' like you!_

_Slade's wobbly as he struggles back to his feet. I can almost see the words "FINISH HIM!" hanging over his head. Or maybe it's some sort of dementia brought on by massive brain trauma and blood loss. Whatever. Say good night, Gracie…_

_BAM! _

Logan caught the legendary merc right under the chin with a massive uppercut – the kind that usually sends a person's head off the roof and down into a dumpster. In other words: one brutal fucking hit.

_That one…that's for me._

_Technical goddamn knockout…_

* * *

The Titans watched with shock and awe as Slade Wilson, the self-proclaimed greatest villain in the world, crumpled to the rooftop like a rag doll. Despite all odds, Garfield Logan had done the impossible. He had defeated Slade!

_Damn…_

_I feel like shit…_

_Slowly, I stumble over to where Rose is. Plucky little girl – she's getting to her feet. Guess she really had Slade's blood running through her veins. The two of us glance at one another, taking in our horrible states. It's kinda morbidly funny – especially to a guy who's died nearly half a dozen times and simply refused to go down. _

_Shit! My legs give way as what's left of my strength flies the coop. Before I hit the ground, I feel Rose's arms around me, her body supporting my weight…the side of my face right against her chest._

_Heh. Still got it…_

"Logan!" Rose said as she pulled the Titan back to his feet "Don't worry – I got you."

"Yeah, but who's got you?" the shape shifter slurred, shaking the cobwebs out of his head. "Damn, I need a vacation."

Rose just smiled. "You and me both, pal," she said, breathlessly.

For the moment, the two battered heroes stood in silence, each one glad to be alive at the end of the long road. That's when they heard it.

_It's like something out of a movie…_

_Rose looks up, and a mask of horror covers her face. The Titans are screaming at the top of their lungs. One guess: I'm not the only fucker who can rise from the dead…_

With all the strength in his body, Slade rose back to his feet, the control for the deadly signal in one hand and his pistol in the other.

"Die, motherfucker!" he screamed, cocking the hammer.

"LOGAN!" Aqualad screamed. But it was already over…

* * *

_I hear my name. Rose's pulling the MP-5 back up. Quickly, I look for a weapon of my own. Got it – a revolver tucked away in the side of Rose's boot. Backup weapon if there ever was one._

_I make the grab. I hear the hammer of Slade's pistol cocking. With every muscle in my body screaming, I pull the gun from its' holster and spin around. It's like the final scene from __**Lethal Weapon**__: I'm Riggs, Rose's Murtaugh, and Slade's whoever the fuck Gary Busey played. _

_BRRT! BLAM!_

_Ours sound first. We watch as Slade drops like a stone…kinda like Gary Busey's career. Heh. Guess it's a bad day to be a bad guy…_


	29. Faith

For a few seconds, Rose and Logan stood together, only the sound of their heavy breathing to be heard. The gunshots had faded away into the distance. Slade's body remained on the ground. He still moved, but the threat was over – at least for the moment.

Logan slowly stood back on his feet, lifting his weight from Rose's own tired body.

"You okay?" the Titan asked.

The girl smiled. "Okay," she echoed. "You?"

"No more holes in me than usual," Garfield said, before adding, "well – except for the one that fuck put in me."

Almost as if on cue, he handed the revolver back to the girl. "Here," he said, belatedly, "I think this is yours."

Rose took the gun back, and gave it the once-over. "Uh, yeah it is," she muttered. "Forgot I had this."

"Good thing you did," Logan said, calmly. Looking back at her, he sighed. "You wanna finish this?"

Slowly, the girl nodded. "I need to," she said.

* * *

Slade gasped for air as he clumsily reached for the control. If he could activate it, all the bravado would be for naught. The Titans would die just the same. Just a little further…

He grunted in pain as Rose's foot came down hard on his arm. Looking back up through his fractured mask, he watched his daughter calmly check her machine gun.

"You know something, Dad?" the girl said, rotating her neck. "You really fucked me. You turned me into a vigilante killer. You taught me that violence is the only way to solve my problems."

The girl sighed before continuing. "But you never once told me you loved me, or that I mattered to you in a way that was more than platonic. You never let me choose the life I wanted – and now that's coming back to haunt you. You see, I can never unlearn the things I know, or unsee the things I've seen…but I can use them to better the world – instead of destroying. Tell you the truth, Dad…I'm a fickle kinda girl, and I have something to say…"

Slade's eye widened as Rose, his own flesh and blood, pointed the barrel of her MP-5 down at his face. No rest for the wicked…until they close their eyes for good…

"I quit."

BRRT!

Rose's face showed no emotion as her finger relaxed on the trigger. Almost as if in a trance, the girl dropped the gun to the rooftop. The killer inside Ravager was gone. Ending her father's life had extinguished the flame.

* * *

As the girl stood in silence, Logan looked over at the Teen Titans still trapped behind the barrier. Like rats in a cage. Time to break them out…

"Excuse me while I whip this out," he said as he pulled one of Rose's katanas back from the scabbard. With no hesitation, he sent the blade through the door of the power outlet, shorting out the entire building – and killing the energy field.

"That oughta do it," the Titan said as he turned back to face his friends.

_Shit…looks like I beat the odds after all. Titans are safe, Slade's dead, and I'm still here…_

_UHG!_

_Okay, maybe not so sure on that last one. I stumble back against the wall. Not feeling too hot. Hell of a way to go: stuck on this rooftop with all these guys. Granted, they're my friends, but if I'm gonna go, I just wished that I could see her one more time…_

* * *

Aqualad turned his head just in time to see the arrival of the last remaining Titans. It was a beautiful sight to behold.

"Raven!" he said as the girl landed with Kole in tow. "I can't believe you're okay!"

"I'll live, if that's what you're getting at," the sorceress said, embracing the young hero. "And don't think I forgot what you did to me when we tangled earlier today," she added with a smirk.

"Shit…" Lad said. That's when they heard it.

"Hey…Rae…"

The Titans turned en masse. Logan was leaned up against the wall of the power outlet, the color quickly draining from his face. Despite it all, he still managed a smirk. "Get a little help here?"

Raven's hand went to her mouth. He looked horrible…well, not as bad as when they had brought him back from the H.I.V.E. burned to a crisp, but it still looked back. Moving quickly, her eyes took in the damaged Rose as well. The girl almost seemed to read the sorceress's mind.

"I'll be okay for the moment," she said, holding a hand up. "Take care of BB."

"No, no," the green man said, waving his hand. "Take your time. Rest a spell. Just dying on my feet over here."

Despite his injuries, Raven couldn't help but smirk as she made her way up to Logan. "Quit whining, you big baby," she said, teasingly as she placed her hands on his wound. "You think you're the only one who's ever been shot?"

_I feel the warmth of Raven's hands as her powers go to work. Hmm…kinda nice. Been quite some time since someone's put their hands on me that's not been trying to kill me. Adrenaline's dropping, blood pressure's back up, brain's working…sorta. Back to the start._

Logan let out a sigh of relief as Raven's hands slowly moved away from his gut. "Looks like I owe you one," he said, clearing his throat.

Raven shook her head. "You saved me already back at the H.I.V.E.," she said, quietly. "I'd say we're even."

The green man smiled. "You still hate me?" he said.

The sorceress returned the smile. "Like I said – I'll get over it," she said.

_My arms encircle Raven. Not like she's stopping it. The fairytale ending coming true…about fucking time. That's when I hear words I never expected coming from a mouth I didn't think was capable of uttering them…_

* * *

"Let's fuck."

Logan's eyes snapped back open. Quickly, he broke off the embrace, staring into Raven's eyes with a look of astonishment. Had she really just said that – and loud enough for the rest of the Titans to overhear?

Rose cover her mouth to stifle the laughter. The other Titans glanced at one another, amused looks on their faces.

"Awkward," Bumblebee muttered. Realizing what she said, Raven's pale face started burning.

"Too soon?" she asked.

Logan shook his head in disbelief. "I'll talk to the guys, you take care of Rose," he said, embarrassed. "I swear, Rae, the things that come out of your mouth…"

_As I walked past Raven, I paused for a second. My lips went up to her ear, and I whispered something that made her face even redder…_

_Later…_

* * *

"Wow," Rose said as Raven checked over the slices Slade had put in her back, "and here I thought BB was the master of bad timing and smooth moves."

Raven looked at the girl disapprovingly. Unfortunately for her, she also remembered something Rose had done earlier in the day. Time for a little payback.

"Oh really?" she said, calmly – right before she jabbed a finger into one of Rose's open wounds!

"OW!" the Titan said, arching up as pain washed over her being. "That hurt!"  
"No shit," the sorceress said, smirking. "What about this?" she added, driving another finger into one of the girl's injured thigh.

"OOOWW!" Rose shouted, her voice a combination of a cry and a laugh. She knew exactly what this was all about. "Quit, you bitch!"

"Oh, I'm a bitch now, eh?" Raven said, smiling. She'd heal Rose…eventually. For now, she'd see just how long she could fuck with her. Fitting enough – the sorceress had been fucked with enough that day. Might as well spread the joy…

* * *

As Raven and Rose continued trading jabs, Robin grinned as Logan approached him and the other Titans.

"Well, the hero returns," he said, appreciatively. "Thanks for saving our butts, BB."

"Oh, I wouldn't be too thankful," the shape shifter said, crossing his arms over his chest. "I think I might've just put us out of a job."

The Titans laughed.

"Hell, we could always use some extra help in Steel City," Bumblebee said, smirking.

"Yea, but don't embarrass us if you show up," Aqualad added, playfully. "We don't need our people thinking we brought in the B Team to help save the day."

"Fuck you," Logan said, grinning. The outburst set off another wave of laughter.

"So," Robin said as the team regain composure, "why don't we head back to the Tower and order up a dozen pizzas or so? My treat?"

"No, man," Logan said., shaking his head. "This one's on me."

Starfire raised an eyebrow. "Are you certain, Beast Boy?" she asked. "You are the hero of the day, after all."

"Yet, but I got a huge damn tab to pay back after all the shit that's happened," the green man said. "No better time than to start now."

"I'll get to calculating that tab when we get back to the Tower," Robin said with a smile. "Might be willing to pay it down a bit given what's gone on today."

Logan chuckled. "What's that gonna do?" he said, playfully. "Knock off a few bucks?"

The Titans took in the slowly setting sun as Raven and Rose joined the group, finally done with their little tirade.

"Well, guess it's time we got back," Raven said. "Gonna be a hell of a walk."

"No prob," Cyborg said, beaming. "I'll just send a signal to the Tower and get the Cy-car out here. Might be a bit of a tight squeeze, but…"

_Oh shit…_

_Well, guess I oughta come clean…_

Rose and Raven looked at Logan with smirks on their faces as the Titan let out a sigh.

"Yeah, about that," he said, scratching his head. "Look, it's kinda a long story. You guys got a while?"

The hero smiled. "'Cause I got all the time in the world," he finished.

* * *

_My mane is Garfield Logan. Today…today I did a whole buncha shit. The one thing I didn't do, though, is the one thing everyone I know was certain I was gonna do…_

_Today…I didn't die. Came close. Came real fuckin' close, but not today…_

_Life's getting back to normal. Gotta say, the last three months have been a crazy winding road from Hell – but I'm still here. More than can be said for many of the motherfuckers who crossed my path. Still, I'm a Titan, and the man they call Logan's finally got a chance to rest. Good to see things are coming back to…_

_What? Just a sec…_

"Yeah, Rae? Okay. Be right there. Yeah, I'm coming! Just keep your pants off!"

_Okay…where was I? Oh yeah…_

_I've survived a path that would crush most people in their tracks. But I'm not most people. I'm Beast Boy of the Teen Titans…and I wouldn't give that up for anything in the world…_

_Well, maybe one thing…but I don't need to. I already have her._

_Can't say my life's been any peachy-keen and shit, but looking at the way things are, you gotta be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. In the end, just like Fred Durst and the LP say…_

_You gotta have faith… _


End file.
